





^ .0*°* "^ 






4 f _>.._% '*"'*'** 













: ^*v : assist' ^ r, 






° 4^ 


















> 



v*' 









; */\ 

o* .•••'- 







~4 O 



v3 .<J* J^jrteZ* "ft 



*. .> 




'. ^ < • 



V4 1 

. • B cStas«i k * . o 



LP < 







9a. »V<-* % a° 



v-V 









- ^ 



►°*fe 



/- W 











:&XK. \# 















^0 







e A v 




\*^ v.. 




- 5 iT . 
















1 * ,* V V *. 




RHYMES AND TALES 



FOR. THE 



KINDERGARTEN AND NURSERY. 



COLLECTED AND REVISED 



MJ&mM- M. y^MJM®^. 



'Come, let us live for our Children." 
Fe. Fecebel. 



NEW YORK, 
E. STEIGER. 

1876. 






Copyright, 1876, by E. Steiger. 



PREFACE, 



On sending this unpretending little book out into the world, I 
would say, that it was prepared in fulfillment of a promise made to my 
former pupils, and others, who often requested me to make a collection 
of Rhymes and Tales suitable for the little ones in the Kindergarten 
and Nursery. 

Prepared amid the absorbing duties of teaching, and unavoidably 
hastened, as it has been, in its publication, I know it is imperfect in 
many respects. 

It does not claim to be a complete collection in any sense. I only 
wished to show mothers and young kindergartners what should be the 
character and quality of the Rhymes they teach, and the Stories they 
tell to children between three and' seven years of age. 

As I have learned something of the wants of children, through my 
constant intercourse with them, I trust I may assist the friends of the 
little ones in this way. 

ALMA L. KRIEGE. 

New York, May, 1876, 



INTRODUCTORY NOTES. 



Since books and magazines for the youngest readers have become 
so numerous and popular, the good old-fashioned custom of telling 
stories to children has been fast dying out, and the little ones are either 
too early taught to read by themselves, or they are read to by their 
elders, both courses being equally at variance with the true principles of 
education. 

Reading stories to children in rapid succession, as is usually done, 
has a tendency to make them superficial, as one impression is quickly 
effaced by another, and the child's ideas are apt to become confused. 

A story told by the mother, or some other sympathetic friend in a 
simple and life-like manner has a much greater educational value and 
exerts a more powerful influence on the child than one merely read from 
a book, for it seems more real. 

Frcebel thought that stories, carefully selected, and told in an 
appropriate and interesting manner, greatly assisted the child in the 
development of its mental and moral nature. I cannot do better than 
quote the following passages from his Education of Man; for although 
he there refers to boys beyond the Kindergarten age, his words are 
equally applicable to younger children. 

"The sensation of his own actual life, his own thinking and willing 
is at first almost unconscious, more like an instinct felt in the soul of 
the child ; but it is the most important and highest perception of dawn- 
ing intelligence of boys at that age, as it is the highest and most 
important for all men ; for man understands other objects, the life of 
others and the effects of other powers only so far as he understands 
himself, his own power, his own life. 

" But the comparison of an object with itself can never lead to an 
understanding of it; therefore the momentary interior individual fife — 
III 



— IV — 

with its thoughts, feelings, and sensations — compared with itself will not 
lead to a knowledge of its nature, its cause and results, or its signifi- 
cance. Everybody knows, that in order to get a clear impression it is 
necessary to compare one object with another which differs from it, and 
that comparisons with objects which are quite remote are more effectual 
than those with objects near at hand. 

" For boys such points of comparison with their own inner life, 
which has been perceived, are found in the presentation of another life, 
one that is strange to their own life; thus they see themselves, as it were, 
in another, and compare and measure themselves with another. 

" The sensation of the perception of his own life and its active 
forces, is either oppressive or carries him on wildly, if the boy cannot 
comprehend it and become conscious of it in its origin and consequen- 
ces, and its quality. 

" But this is the strongest desire of the active, healthy boy, it is 
this which feeds his inner life and soul. 

" For this reason boys are so fond of listening to stories, especially 
if they come with the claim that they have really happened, or at least 
admit of possibility in the realm of spiritual activity and manifestation 
of forces for which he hardly knows where to put the limit of the 
possible. 

" These powers and forces, which scarcely have begun to germinate 
in the boy's soul, appear to him in the myth, the fairy tale, and the 
story as a perfect growth full of blossoms and fruit. 

" How the heart expands, how the mind is strengthened, how free 
and vigorous life unfolds in him, and the more fully, the more distant 
the comparison. 

" As it is not the color merely which charms and attracts the child, 
but something spiritual, unseen conveyed by it, so, in the fairy tale and 
the myth, it is not the bright existences they picture, but the life, the 
spiritual forces they reveal to him, which serve as a measure for his own 
spirit and his own life. It is, as it were, the contemplation of the 
whole of life, and the unfettered vital forces, which act according to 
their own inherent laws. 



__ y _ 

" In stories, other people, other conditions, other times and coun- 
tries, other objects are presented to the mind, yet the listener seeks his 
own likeness and sees it, and no one can tell him : it is thy own like- 
ness ! Have you never observed how little children — younger than those 
we now speak of — have asked their mothers to repeat again and again 
the most simple stories, for instance, about a little singing bird, that flies 
about, and builds its nest, and feeds its young ? 

" With older boys it is similar. " Tell us a story," they ask. " I 
do not know any more, I have told you all I knew." "Well, tell us 
this, or that story." " I have already told it to you two or three times." 
" No matter, tell it again." 

" Their companion tells it, and see. they take every word from his 
lips, as if they had never heard it before. 

" It is not mental indolence that leads the lively boy to delight in 
stories, mental inactivity is not fostered by hearing life-like, stirring- 
tales ; you will observe how every power is strained in the listener. 

" You will notice, how through the agency of a genuine story-teller, 
the inner life of a true listener becomes active, expands, and measures 
itself with that of others. This proves that it is not the bright pictures 
which interest the boy, it is mind communicating with mind that 
attracts him. 

" As a blossom opens to the sunshine and the warm spring rain, 
so ear and heart open to those who have the gift of story-telling. 

"Mind expands to mind, life-force touches life-force and drinks it 
in as it were. 

" Story-telling is a refreshing bath for the mind, it is an exercise for 
all the mental powers, and a test of self-judgment and self-consciousness. 

" But to tell stories with such effect is by no means easy ; the story- 
teller must identify this outer life with his own, live it and be affected 
by it, render it fully and wholly, and yet stand above it. This being 
objective, and yet being filled with, and affected by, this other life, is 
what constitutes the good story-teller. 

" Hence young, or quite aged persons are generally good story- 
tellers. And the mother tells stories well because she lives the child's 



life, and is filled with the desire to nurture its life. The father, who is 
oppressed with cares and business, will rarely be able to tell stories well 
enough to command the children's interest. 

" The elder brother, or sister, who have as yet no experience of 
life in its hard and harsh features, being as it were outside of it, and the 
old man-servant, who has lived in the family for many years, his heart 
filled with sweet content by a life of devotion to duty: these are the 
favorite story-tellers of eagerly listening boys. 

" In stories thus told there need be no moral reflections interspersed 
or joined at the end ; life itself, simply presented, from whatever 
aspect it may be, as a working power, in its ends, causes, and effects 
will make a deeper impression, and contains moral lessons that cannot 
be heightened, and might be lessened by the interference of words and 
personal applications. 

" And who can tell what are the needs of the expanding soul, 
what the nourishment which it requires, and which it will appropriate 
to itself if left alone! 

" We do not tell stories often enough to our children, or else we tell 
stories in which the actors are like manikins or puppets. 

" A good story-teller is a great boon. 

" Happy the boys who come under his influence, which is great 
and ennobling in proportion as he does not appear to exert it. 

" With high esteem I greet a genuine story-teller, and gratefully 
extend my hand to him. But he has a higher recommendation than 
mine. See the happy faces, the sparkling eyes, the joyous voices that 
welcome him in the blooming circle of delighted boys who surround 
him, and crown him, as the bard is crowned with garlands of leaves 
and flowers. 

" Yet, boys of this age ought to join physical to mental activity, 
and thus, the newly stimulated inner fife ought to manifest itself out- 
wardly, in order that it may become permanent. 

" Hence, with boys of this age, listening to stories should invari- 
ably be connected with activity productive of some outward piece of 
work. 



" The events of the daily life experienced by the listeners ought 
frequently to serve as starting-points and subjects for stories." 

All kindergartners who have been thoroughly trained according to 
Frcebel's principles, know what should be the character of the stories 
adapted to children between three and seven years of age, and they also 
know what rule should be followed in the choice of subjects, and the 
manner of presenting them. 

But for mothers, and other friends of the little ones, who may 
desire a few suggestions, I will add the following directions given by 
Froebel and his exponents* 

Among the various kinds of stories, those suitable for children 
of this age are: fables, fairy tales, humorous stories, some incidents of 
national history in the form of biography, instructive stories of 
animals and plants, stories which touch on the common experiences of 
the child, moral stories, and Bible histories. 

Fables are very attractive to young children, as they are always 
interested in animals, whose actions appear symbolical of their own. 

The best fables are those which admit of an imitation of the actions 
of animals on the part of the children. 

Many persons would exclude fairy tales from the list of stories for 
children, on the ground that they are untrue, and, therefore, have an 
injurious effect. But that is a very mistaken idea ; no harm can be 
done if the child is not made to believe that the fanciful incidents related 
to him are realities ; on the contrary, great moral truths may be presen- 
ted to him in this guise. The child needs this play of its fancy, and 
exercises it naturally when it attributes life to inanimate objects, and 
speaks to its doll or hobby-horse, as if they could understand him. 

That this faculty needs cultivation, in order to harmonious develop- 
ment we see in unimaginative, matter-of-fact people, in whom it has 
been neglected. It is evident, however, that not all fairy tales can be 
recommended. 

They should have an inner meaning, and be poetical in conception. 

*) A. Kohler and F. Seidel give valuable information in their Buck der 
Erzahlunyen (Weimar, 1875). 



All stories about witches, hobgoblins, and the like should be care- 
fully avoided, as they have a tendency to excite and frighten children. 

Among the moral relations such should be chosen as will incite 
children to good actions and lead them to form correct habits. But all 
those should be studiously avoided which speak of bad children, and 
mention faults the child has never committed ; for they may either lead 
it to imitate what it otherwise would not have thought of, or make 
it self-righteous. 

Bible histories should be carefully selected in accordance with the 
trustful, loving nature of childhood. 

It is not well to dwell on the cruelties of wicked men, or scenes of 
death and suffering. Those histories will exert the deepest and most 
powerful influence for good which speak of God as our loving Heavenly 
Father, and present the Saviour as a child, and the friend of children. 

Bible histories should be related in an earnest and impressive man- 
ner, and the children should be taught to retain the incidents as histor- 
ical facts. 

The language should be simple, and it is not necessary to use the 
exact words of Scripture throughout, although quotations must be 
accurate. 

In general, stories for children from three to seven years of age 
shoidd not be too long, and very simple in form and expression, so that 
they may be readily comprehended. Use only good language, but avoid 
words the children cannot understand. 

State objects, qualities, and actions in particular and not in general 
terms. For instance, do not say, " mamma bought beautiful things 
for the children," but, " she bought a pretty dolly for Louise, a shining- 
tea-pot for Maud, a black horse and a yellow whip for Georgie." Do 
not say, '' I saw animals," but, "I saw dogs, cats, geese and ducks, bees 
and butterflies," etc. 

Do not interrupt your tale by questionings, and if anything has to 
be explained, do it incidentally, so that the children may not lose the 
connection. 

If you relate the same story again, which the children often de- 



mand, do not change eitlier names, facts, or qualities, else they will be 
disappointed, and have nothing definite and fixed in then- mind. 

The request of the child to have a story repeated, shows that it 
wants to have its first impressions deepened, and not blurred. At the 
close of a story it is well to question the older children occasionally. 

The little ones do not like to analyze, as their minds are not 
sufficiently developed, therefore only such questions as : "how did you 
like that story ?" or, " what did you like best in that story ?" woidd be 
appropriate. 

Children over six years of age may be questioned to advantage 
about incidents and persons described in the story. 

Sometimes it is well to let a child repeat the whole of a simple 
story in its own words ; this teaches it to express itself clearly, and is, 
moreover, a practical lesson in grammar. 

Bible histories should not be commented upon after the first 
hearing ; let the impression rest with the child. They may be repeated 
on another occasion, and then be followed by questions and conversation. 

One story is enough at one time. 

Connect stories with the work and play of children, and select 
them according to seasons and festivals. 

A variety of styles and topics is also desirable. 

The Rlnjmes in this collection were selected with a view to simplic- 
ity of form, and as representing subjects which come within the sphere 
of children's observation and interest. 

All the Rhymes may be learned by the children, although the longer 
ones are chiefly to be recited as narratives by the mother, and should 
be reserved for children over six years of age. 

Before teaching a piece of poetry to the children, the whole should 
be recited to them, then each verse taken up separately and talked about, 
so that the subject may be familiar before the words are committed to 
memory. After such instructive conversation, the entire piece should 
again be recited, and then the single verses may be taught the children., 
phrase by phrase. 



Contents. 



rhymes. 



RELIGIOUS POEMS. 

PAGE 

1. MORNING PeAYEE 1 

2. Morning Prayer 2 

3. Evening Verse ...... 2 

4. Swedish Mother's Lullaby 3 

5. Hark ! My Children 3 

6. Little Blue Eyes 4 

7. Gracte's Birds 4 

8. The Child's Woeld 5 

9. God's Care 6 

10. God Loves Me 6 

11. Little by Little 7 

12. Little Things 8 

13. Patience 8 

14. The Best I Can 9 

15. The Golden Kule 10 

16 Christmas Song 10 

17. The Childhood of Jesus , 11 

18. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your 
good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven " 12 

19. Jesus' Seat 13 

MISCELLANEOUS FOEMS. 

20. Up! Up! 16 

21. Mowing 17 

22. Little Nannie 17 

23. The Voyage in the Arm-Chatr 19 

24. The Fingers 20 

25. The Dead Doll 21 

26. The Old Kitchen Clock 23 

27. Good Night ! 24 

28. Good Night ! 25 

29. The Bird's Nest 26 

XI 



— XII — 

PAGE 

30. Eggs and Birds 27 

31. Little Birdies 28 

32. My Kitty 28 

33. The Bobin 29 

34. Call the Cat 29 

35. KlTTIE AND MOUSIE 30 

36. The Lambs 30 

37. The Bee and the Bose 31 

38. What the Fairy Said to Little Curly-Locks 32 

39. Forget Me Not 33 

40. The Forget-Me-Not 33 

41. The Brooklet 34 

42. Stop, Stop, Pretty Water 34 

43. The Child and the Brook 35 

44. The Biver 36 

45. The Boy and the Bain Drops 37 

46. The Wind 38 

47. Chimney-Tops 38 

48. Good Morning !..... 40 

49. The Moon 40 

50. The Eyes of Angels 41 

51. Butter-Cups and Daisies 42 

52. Spring Song 43 

53. The April Shower 43 

54. It is Day ; 43 

55. The Joys of Summer 45 

56. Among the Flowers 45 

57. Autumn Song 46 

58. The Bude Playmate 47 

59. Winter Song 47 

60. The Snow 48 

61. Old Santa Claus 49 

TALES. 

"BIDBZjE HISTORIES. 

1. Daniel in the Lion's Den 53 

2. The Birth of Christ 54 

3. Jesus in the Temple 55 

4. Jesus the Friend of Little Children , .,,,.,.,..,,..,.,,, 56 



— XIII — 

MISCELLANEOUS TALES. 

PAGE 

5. The Little Preacher 57 

6. How Little Amy Leaened to Work 60 

7. The Little Rain Drop 63 

8. The Drop of Watee 64 

9. The Clouds 66 

10. Daisy Chain 68 

11. The Last Swallow 6!) 

12. Johnny's First Snow-Storm 70 

13. How the Sparrows were Fed 72 

14. Sunbeams 73 

15. That's How 75 

16. The White Lady 76 

17. The Lord's Wall 78 

18. Henry and the Echo 79 

19. Max and his Kid 82 

20. Willie Smith's Two Goats 83 

21. Dogs in the Barn- Yard 84 

22. The Little Bird's Morning Ramble 85 

23. The Canary-Bzrd 88 

24. Story of a Little Mouse 89 

FAIRY TALES. 

25. The North Wind 94 

26. The Fairy in the Mirror 96 

27. The Fairies of the Rainbow and the Rain 97 

28. The Ungrateful Grasses 99 

29. The Aster 100 

30. The Angel with the String of Pearls 101 

31. The Grateful Elf 103 

FABLES. 

32. The Sun and the Wind 107 

33. The Lamb 108 

34. The Crows 108 

35. The Ceow and the Pitcher ,,..,. , 109 



RHYMES, 



Religious Poems. 




I. MORNINC PRAYER. 



ow before we work to-day, 

We will not forget to pray 

To God, who kept us through the night, 

And woke us with the morning light. 

Help us, Lord, to love Thee more, 
Than we ever loved before; 
In our work and in our play, 
Be Thou with us through the day ! 




2. MORNING PRAYER. 

thank Thee, Lord, for quiet rest, 
And for Thy watchful care of me ; 
0, let me through the day be blest, 
And kept from every harm by Thee. 

O, let me love Thee, kind Thou art 
To little children such as I ; 
Give me a gentle, holy heart, 
Be Thou my friend on high, on high. 

Help me to please my parents dear, 
And to do all whate'er they tell ; 
Bless all my friends, both far and near, 
And keep them ever safe and well. 




3. EVENING VERSE. 

atch o'er a little child to-night, 
Blest Saviour, from above, 
And keep me till the morning light 
Within Thy arms of love. 





— 3 — 
4. SWEDISH MOTHER'S LULLABY. 



here sitteth a dove so fair and white 

All on the lily spray ; 

And she listeneth how to the Saviour above 

The little children pray. 

Lightly she spreads her friendly wings, 
And to heaven's gate hath sped, 
And unto the Father in heaven she bears 
The prayers the children have said. 

And back she comes from heaven's gate, 
And brings— that dove is so mild — 
From the Father in heaven, who hears her speak, 
A blessing for every child. 

5. HARK! MY CHILDREN! 

ark ! Hark ! my children, hark ! 
When the sky has lost its blue 
What do the stars sing in the dark? 
" We must sparkle, sparkle through." 

What do leaves say in the storm, 
Tossed in whispering heaps together? 
1 1 We can keep the violets warm 
Till they wake in fairer weather." 

What do happy birdies say, 
Flitting through the gloomy wood ? 
' ' We must sing the gloom away — 
Sun or shadow— God is good." 




— 4 — 
6. UTTLE BLUE-EYES. 

lue-eyes, blue-eyes, where are you going 

This bright Sabbath morn, with your tresses flowing ; 

With your holy look, and your steps demure, 

With your dress like a snow-drift, so white and pure ; 

With your little clasped book, and bunch of posies, 

Butter-cups, violets, lilies, and roses ?" 

" I'm going to church, where the sweet bells call, 

To ask the dear Father to bless us all." 



7. CRACIE'S BIRDS. 



nee a gentle snow-white birdie 
;Came, and made its nest 
In a spot you'd never dream of — 
In a baby's breast. 

Then how happy, gentle, loving, 
Grew the baby Grace ! 
All the smiles and all the dimples 
Brightened in her face. 

But a black and ugly raven 
Came one morn this way ; 
Came, and drove the gentle birdie 
From its nest away. 

Ah ! how frowning and unlovely 
Was our Gracie then, 
Until evening brought the white dove 
To its nest again. 





— 5 — ■ 

Children, this was Grade's raven — 
This her gentle dove — 
In her heart a naughty Temper 
Drove away the Love. 



8, THE CHILD'S WORLD- 

wide, beautiful, wonderful "World, 
With the wonderful water round you curled, 
And the wonderful grass upon your breast, — 
World, you are beautifully dressed. 

The wonderful air is over me, 
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree, 
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, 
And talks to itself on the top of the hills. 

Say, friendly Earth, how far do you go 

With the wheat-fields that nod, and the rivers that 

flow, 
With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles, 
And people upon you for thousands of miles ? 

Ah ! you are so great, and I am so small, 
I tremble to think of you, World, at all ; 
And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, 
A whisper within me seemed to say, 

"You are more than the Earth, 
Though you are such a dot ; 
You can love and think, 
And the Earth cannot ! " 





— 6 — 
9. COD'S CARE, 

nowest thou how many stars 
There are shining in the sky ? 
Knowest thou how many clouds 
Every clay go floating by ? 
God, the Lord, has counted all, 
He would miss one, should it fall. 

Knowest thou how many babes, 
Go to little beds at night, 
That, without a care or trouble, 
Wake up with the morning light ? 
God, in Heaven, each name can tell, 
Knows thee too and loves thee well. 



10. COD LOVES ME. 

od cares for every little child 

That on this large earth liveth, 

He gives them home and food and clothes, 

And more than these God giveth. 



He gives them all their loving friends, 
He gives each child its mother, 
He gives them all the happiness 
Of loving one another. 

He makes the earth all beautiful, 
He makes thine eyes to see, 



And touch and hearing, taste and smell, 
He gives them all to thee. 

What can a little child give God? 
From his bright heavens above, 
The great God smiles and reaches down, 
To take his children's love. 



LITTLE BY LITTLE. 

■€ 

$Ld ittle by little the bird builds her nest; 

JPllLittle by little the sun sinks to rest; 
Little by little the waves, in their glee, 
Smooth the rough rocks by the shore of the sea. 

Drop after drop falls the soft summer shower; 
Leaf upon leaf grows the cool forest bower; 
Grain heaped on grain forms the mountain so high 
That its cloud-capped summit is- lost to the eye. 

Little by little the bee to her cell 

Brings the sweet honey, and garners it well; 

Little by little the ant layeth by, 

From the summer's abundance, the winter supply. 

Minute by minute, so passes the day; 
Hour after hour, years are gliding away, 
The moments improve until life be past, 
And, little by little, grow wise to the last ! 





12. LITTLE THINGS. 

; -dl ittle drops of water, 
Little grains of sand, 
Make the mighty ocean, 
And the pleasant land. 

Little deeds of kindness, 
Little words of love, 
Make our earth an Eden, 
Like the heavens above. 



13. PATIENCE. 

very lily in the meadow 

Waits in patience for the rain; 
Every daisy in the shadow 

Waits till sunshine comes again; 
Every birdie in the home-nest 

Waits for food, nor waits in vain. 

Blessed Saviour, it is written: 

" Be ye patient !" in Thy Word; 

Make us patient as the lily, 
Or the daisy, or the bird; 

Give us hearts like Thine, dear Jesus, 
Never by impatience stirred. 




14. THE BEST I CAN ' 



cannot do much, ; ' said a little star, 
' ' To make the dark world bright, 
My silvery beams cannot struggle far 
Through the folding gloom of night; 
But I'm only a part of God's great plan, 
And I'll cheerfully do the best that I can." 



" What is the use," said a fleecy cloud, 
' < Of these few drops that I hold ? 
They will hardly bend the lily proud, 
Though caught in her cup of gold; 
Yet I am a part of God's great plan, 
So my treasure I'll give as well as I can.' 

A child went merrily forth to play; 
But a thought, like a silver thread, 
Kept winding in and out all day 
Through the happy golden head; 
Mother said, ' ' Darling, do all you can, 
For you are a part of God's great plan. " 



She knew no more than the glancing star, 

Or the cloud with its chalice full, 

How, why, and for what all strange things were — 

She was only a child at school; 

But she thought, u It is part of God's great plan, 

That even I should do all I can." 



— 10 — 

She helped a younger child along 
"Where the road was rough to the feet; 
And she sang from her heart a little song 
That we all thought passing sweet; 
And her father, a weary, toil-worn man, 
Said, u I will do likewise the best that I can." 

Our best ! Ah, children, the best of us 

Must hide our faces away, 

When the Lord of the vineyard comes to look 

At our task at the close of the day; 

But for strength from above ('tis the Master's plan), 

We'll pray, and we'll all do the best we can. 



15. THE GOLDEN RULE. 



o do to all men as I would 

That they should do to me, 

Will make me kind, and just, and good, 

And so I'll try to be. 



16. CHRISTMAS SONG. 



ilent night, holy night ! 

All is calm, all is bright 

'Round you, lowly mother aud child. 

Holy infant, so tender and mild, 

Sleep in heavenly peace. 





— 11 — 

Silent night, holy night ! 
Shepherds tremble at the sight, 
Glories stream from heaven afar. 
Heavenly Hosts sing Alleluiah, 
Christ, the Saviour, is born. 

£& 17. THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS. 



n the green fields of Palestine, 
By its fountains and its rills, 

And by the sacred Jordan's stream, 
And o'er the vine-clad hills, 

Once lived and roved the fairest child 
That ever blessed the earth, 

The happiest, the holiest 
That e'er had human birth. 

How beautiful His childhood was ! 

Harmless and undefiled, 
Oh ! dear to His young mother's heart 

Was this pure, sinless child. 

Kindly in all His deeds and words, 

And gentle as the dove; 
Obedient, affectionate, 

His very soul was love. 

Oh ! is it not a blessed thought, 

Children of human birth, 
That once the Saviour was a child, 

And lived upon the earth ? 




12 



18. "Let your light so shine before men, that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your 
Father which is in Heaven." 



esus bids us shine, 
With a clear, pure light, 
Like a little candle, 
Burning in the night. 
In the world is darkness, 
So we must shine, 
You in your small corner, 
And I in mine. 



Jesus bids us shine, 

First of all for Him, 

Well he sees and knows it, 

If our light is dim. 

He looks down from Heaven 

To see us shine, 

You in your small corner 

And me in mine. 

Jesus bids us shine, 

Then, for all around, 

For many kinds of darkness 

In the world are found : 

There's sin, there's want and sorrow, 

So we must shine, 

You in your small corner, 

And I in mine. 



— 13 — 
^4^5$ 19. JESUS' SEAT. 

Jar far away o'er the deep blue sea 
l Lived a man who was kind as kind could be, 
He loved little children, and spread every day 
A table from which none went empty away. 
Poor children came in from the alley and street, 
With rags on their backs, and no shoes on their feet ; 
Girls and boys, large and small, some naughty and 

rude, 
But John Falk loved them all and did them all good ; 
And while they were eating, he often would tell 
Of the Lord Jesus Christ, who on earth did once 

dwell ; 
How he loved little children — each one of them there 
He was watching from Heaven with tenderest care — 
And how happy and blessed would be the child's part 
Who would let that dear Saviour come dwell in his 

heart. 
Each day when the children assembled to eat, 
He taught them to offer this grace for their meat: 
1 ' Bless, Jesus, the food Thou hast given us to-day, 
And come and sup with us, dear Jesus, we pray. " 



But once when the children had finished this prayer, 
One poor little fellow stood still by his chair 
For a moment, than ran to the closet where stood 
The bright cups of tin and the platters of wood. 
u Now what is the matter ?" said Falk to the child. 
The little one looked in his kind face and smiled : 



— 14 — 

11 We asked the Lord Jesus just now in our grace 
To sup with us here ; but we've given him no place. 
If he should come in, how sad it would be ! 
But I'll put Him a stool close here beside me." 

Then the boy, quite contented, sat down to his food ; 
He was hungry and tired, and his supper was good ! 
But a few moments after, he heard at the door 
A knock low and timid, one knock and no more. 
He started to open it, hoping to meet 
The Lord Jesus Christ come to look for his seat • 
But when it was open he no one could see 
But a poor little child, much poorer than he, 
His face blue with hunger, his garments, so old, 
Were dripping with rain, and he shivered with cold. 

11 Come in !" cried the boy, in a tone of delight, 

' ' I suppose the Lord Christ could not come here to-night, 

Though we asked him to come and partake of our bread, 

So he's just sent you down to us here in his stead. 

The supper is good, and we'll each give you some, 

And tell the Lord Christ we are glad you have come. " 

From that time, when the children assembled to eat, 
There was always one place called ' 'the Lord Jesus' seat. ' 
And the best that they had was placed there each day 
For one who was poorer, more hungry than they. 
And the Lord Jesus Christ, in reply to their grace, 
Sent always some person to sit in his place ; 
And sweet was the food that the Lord did provide 
For the stranger he sent them to eat at their side. 



— 15 — 

Pear friends, who have read this short story, you knov 
The words that our Saviour ouce spoke when below, 
It we wish for his presence to hallow our bread, 
We must welcome the stranger he sends in his stead ; 
When we set out .our feasts, this our motto must be — 
" As ye do to my poor, ye have done unto me !" 




16 — 



Miscellaneous Poems. 




20. UP! UP! 



says the crowing cock, 
Don't you hear the village clock? 
I've been up for an hour or more, , 
Crowing aloud at the stable door. 
Dobbin has gone with the boy to the plow ; 
Betty has started to milk the cow ; 
Surely there's plenty for all to do, 
And every one's up, young friend, but you." 
"Up! up !" says the rising sun ; 
' ' Is there no work, my friend, to be done ? 
Are there no lessons to learn, I pray, 
That you lie thus wasting the hours away ? 
Shake sleep from your eyelids and look on high, 
And see how blue is the morning sky : 
Open your window, your slumber spare, 
And taste how fresh is the morning air : 
Oh ! let it never be said 
That you wasted the bright morning hours in bed, 




— IT — 
21. MOWING. 

eter goes out fresh and early, 
Mows the grass so long and sweet, 
Shining with the dew so pearly, 
Brings it for the cow to eat. 
She will give us milk and butter 
For the little children's supper. 
Forth the maiden goes at evening, 
Milks the cow with skillful hand, 
Brings the pail in fresh and foaming, 
For the eager little band, 
Fills each bowl and breaks the bread, 
Then hushes all, while grace is said. 
11 Think my children," says the mother, 
' ' Whence so many blessings fall, 
Thank the farmer for his mowing, 
Thank the cow in meadows lowing, 
Thank the maiden, and the baker, 
But the Lord, the Heavenly Maker, 
We must thank for each and all. 



22. LITTLE NANNIE. 

awn-footed Nannie, 
Where have you been ? 

Chasing the sunbeams 
Into the glen, 




— 18 — 

Plunging through silver lakes, 
After the moon ; 
Tracking o'er meadows 
The footsteps of June." 

Sunny-eyed Nannie, 
What did you see ? 
' ( Saw the fays sewing 
Green leaves on a tree ; 
Saw the waves counting 
The eyes of the stars, 
Saw cloud-lambs sleeping 
By sunset's red bars." 

Listen, Nannie, 

What did you hear ? 

' ' Heard the rain asking 

A rose to appear ; 

Heard the woods tell 

When the wind whistled wrong ; 

Heard the stream flow 

Where the bird drinks his song." 

Nannie, dear Nannie, 

Oh take me with you, 

To run and to listen 

And see as you do ! 

' ' Nay, nay ! you must borrow, 

My ear and my eye, 

Or the beauty will vanish 

The music will die." 




— 19 — 
23. THE VOYACE IN THE ARM-CHAIR. 

apa, dear papa ! we've had such a fine game ! 
We played at a sail on the sea ; 
The old arm-chair made such a beautiful ship, 
And it sailed, oh, as nice as could be ! 

We made Mary the captain, and Bob was the boy 
Who cried "Ease her!" "Back her!" and "Slow!" 
And Jem was the steersman who stands at the wheel ! 
And I watched the engines below. 

We had for a passenger, grandmamma's cat ; 
And as Tom could not pay, he went free ; 
From the fireside we sailed at half-past two o'clock, 
And we got to the sideboard at three. 

But oh, only think, dear papa, when half way, 

Tom overboard jumped to the floor ! 

And though we called, "Tom, come back : don't be 

drowned," 
He galloped right out at the door ! 

But, papa, dear papa ! listen one minute more, 

Till I tell you the end of our sail: 

From the sideboard we went at five minutes past 

three, 
And at four o'clock saw such a whale. 

The whale was the sofa, and it, dear papa, 

Is at least twice as large as our ship ! 

The captain called out, ' 'Turn the ship round about ! 

Oh I wish I had not come this trip !" 




— 20 — 

And we all cried, ' 'Oh yes, let us get away home, 
And hide in some corner quite snug," 
So we sailed for the fireside as quick as we could ; 
And we landed all safe on the rua;. 



24. THE FINGERS. 



en little soldiers forming into line, 

One heard his mother call, and then there were nine. 

Nine little soldiers marching very straight; 

One fell over, and then there were eight. 

Eight little soldiers stepping brave and even; 

One chased a butterfly, and then there were seven. 

Seven little soldiers playing funny tricks; 

One left disgusted, and then there were six. 

Six little soldiers with frolic all alive; 

One got hurt, and then there were five. 

Five little soldiers went to search for more; 

One weiiL off pouting, and then there were four. 

Four little soldiers ran to chase a bee; 

One was pretty badly stung, and then there were 

three. 
Three little soldiers, to their banner true; 
One went home crying, and then there were two. 
Two little soldiers playing all alone; 
One ran away, and then there was one. 
One little soldier sitting on a stone; 
He fell asleep, and then there was none. 



— 21 — 
•u^tb^SJff 25. THE DEAD DOLL. 

\ ''it«»u need n't be trying to comfort me — I tell you my 
b?X$ dolly is dead! 

A There's no use in saying she isn't, with a crack like 
that in her head. 
It's just like you said it would n't hurt much to have 

my tooth out, that day; 
And then, when the man 'most pulled my head off, 
you had n't a word to say. 



And I guess you must think I'm a baby, when you 

say you can mend it with glue ! 
As if I did n't know better than that ! Why, just 

suppose it was you ? 
You might make her look all mended — but what do 

I care for looks ? 
Why, glue's for chairs and tables, and toys, and the 

backs of books ! 



My dolly ! my own little daughter ! Oh, but it's the 

awfullest crack! 
It just makes me sick to think of the sound when 

her poor head went whack 
Against that horrible brass thing that holds up the 

little shelf. 
Now, Nursey, what makes you remind me ? I know 

that I did it myself! 



— 22 — 

I think you must be crazy — you'll get her another head ! 
What good would forty heads do her ? I tell you, my dolly 

is dead ! 
And to think I had n't quite finished her elegant new spring 

hat! 
And I took a sweet ribbon of hers last night to tie on that 

horrid cat ! 

When my mamma gave me that ribbon — I was playing out 

in the yard — 
She said to me, most expressly, "There's a ribbon for 

Hildegarde." 
And I went and put it on Tabby, and Hildegarde saw me 

do it ; 
But I said to myself, ' ' Oh, never mind, I don't believe she 

knew it!" 

But I know that she knew it now, and I just believe, I do, 
That her poor little heart was broken, and so her head 

broke too. 
Oh, my baby ! my little baby ! I wish my head had been hit ! 
For I've hit it over and over, and it has n't cracked a bit. 

But since the darling is dead, she'll want to be buried of 

course; 
We will take my little wagon, Nurse, and you shall be the 

horse; 
And I'll walk behind and cry; and we'll put her in this, 

you see — 
This dear little box — and we'll bury her then under the 

maple-tree. 



— 23 — 

And papa will make me a tombstone, like the one he made 

for my bird; 
And he'll put what I tell him on it — yes every single word! 
I shall say: ''Here lies Hildegarde, a beautiful doll, who is 

dead; 
She died of a broken heart, and a dreadful crack in her 

head." 



& isten to the Kitchen Clock ! 
To itself it ever talks, 
From its place it never walks; 

' < Tick-tock— tick-tock. " 
Tell me what it says. 

' l I'm a very patient Clock, 
Never moved by hope or fear, 
Though I've stood for many a year; 

Tick-tock — tick-tock. " 
That is what it says. 

"I'm a very truthful Clock: 
People say about the place, 
Truth is written on my face; 

Tick-tock— tick-tock." 
That is what it says. 





— 24 — 

"I'm a very active Clock, 
For I go while you're asleep, 
Though you never take a peep; 

Tick-tock — tick-tock. ' ' 
That is what it says. 

"I'm a most obliging Clock, 
If you wish to hear me strike, 
You may do it when you like; 

Tick-tock — tick-tock. " 
That is what it says. 

What a talkative old Clock ! 
Let us see what it will do 
When the pointer reaches two; 

' : Ding — ding— tick-tock. " 
That is what it says. 



27. GOOD NIGHT! 

ood night ! the sun is setting; 

"Good night" the robins sing, 

And blue-eyed dolls, and blue-eyed girls 

Should soon be following. 

Come ! lay the pretty Caroline 

Among the pillows white, 

'Tis time the little mother kissed 

Her sleepy doll good night. 



— 25 — 

And, Willie, put the cart away, 

And drive into the shed 

The pony and the muley cow; 

Tis time to go to bed. 

For, listen ! in the lilac-tree 

The robin does not sing; 

"Good night !" he sang, and tucked his head 

Beneath his weary wing. 

Soon all the world will go to rest. 

And all the sky grow dim; 

God ' ' giveth his beloved sleep, " 

So we may trust in Him. 

The Lord is in the shadow, 

The Lord is in the light, 

To guard his little ones from harm; 

Good night, dear hearts, good night ! 



28. GOOD NIGHT. 

IfJSFood night !" said the plow to the weary old horse, 
And Dobbin responded, "Good night !" 
Then, with Tom on his back, to the farm-house he 

turned 
With a feeling of quiet delight. 

"Good night !" said the ox with a comical bow, 

As he turned from the heavy old cart, 

Which laughed till it shook a round wheel from its 

side, 
Then creaked out : "Good night from my heart!" 



— 26 — 

"Good night!" said the hen, when her supper was done, 
To Fanny, who stood in the door ; 

' 'Good night ! " answered Benny, ' ' come back in the morn, 
And you and your chicks shall have more." 

"Quack, quack !" said the duck, "I wish you all well, 
Though I cannot tell what is polite ;" 
' ' The will for the deed, " answered Benny the brave, 
"Good night, Madam Ducky, good night!" 

The geese. were parading the beautiful green, 
But the goslings were wearied out quite ; 
So, shutting their peepers, from under the wing, 
They murmured a sleepy "Good night!" 

Now the shades of evening were gathering apace, 
And fading the last gleam of light, 
So to father and mother, both Fanny and Ben 
Gave a kiss and a hearty "Good night!" 



29. THE BIRD'S NEST. 



< IH|L little bird once made a nest 
►^G^jf Of moss and hay and hair, 

And then she laid five speckled eggs, 
And covered them with care. 




21 



Five little birds were hatched in time, 
So small and bare and weak, 
The father fed them every day 
With insects from his beak. 

At last the little birds were fledged. 
And strong enough to fly ; 
And then they spread their pretty wings, 
And bade the nest ' ' Good-bye ! " 

There's many a little home like this, 
Sheltered in every grove, 
To teach us how to make our homes 
Abodes of peace and love. ' 



30. EGGS AND BIRDS. 

here is the little lark's nest 

My father showed to me ? 

And where the pretty lark's eggs ?" 

Said Master Lori Lee. 

At last he found the lark's nest, 

But eggs were none to see. 

' ' Why are you looking down there ?" 

Sang two young larks on high ; 

" We've broke the shells that held us, 

And found a nest on high." 

And the happy birds went singing, 

Far up the morning sky. 




— 28 — 

31. LITTLE BIRDIES. 

hat do birdies dream of? 
.^Flowers and leaves and waving wheat, 
-^^Brooks and buds and mosses sweet, 
Nooks all hidden from the heat, 
Little birdies dream of. 

What do birdies sing of? 
Morning dew-drops pearly fair, 
Sunshine rippling down the air, 
Heaven's rich beauty every- where, 
Little birdies sing of. 

What are birdies proud of? 
Soft-lined houses upon the tree, 
Baby birdies, one, two, three, — 
These, my pet, you still may see 
Little birdies proud of! 



32. MY KITTY. 

itty watches me all day, 
When I work and when I play ; 
Snarls my worsted and my thread, 
Purrs, and rubs her naughty head 
On my shoulder when I say, 
"Kitty, you must go away!" 
Then she steals into my lap, 
Curls up softly for a nap, 






— 29 — 

Shuts her blinking, sleepy eyes. 
Ah, my kitty, you are wise ! 
For I cannot bid you go 
While you love and trust me so. 

33. THE ROBIN. 

hen deep the snow lies on the ground, 
And all the woods are still, 
The Robin sings his little song 
Upon my window-sill. 

Robin ! Robin Redbreast ! 
Don't stay out in the cold ; 

1 would not harm you, little thing, 
For twice your weight in gold. 

You're welcome to whate'er you get, 
So come whene'er you will ; 
I like to hear you sing your song 
Upon my window-sill. 

34. CALL THE CAT. 

itty-cat, I hear a mouse ! 
Pitty-pat ! go through the house; 
Kitty, hurry! Kitty, run! 
Quick ! or you will lose the fun. 

Kitty hears, and slyly creeps 
Near poor mousie — now she leaps. 
Ah! too late, you cannot win it; 
There's the hole, the mouse is in it. 





Listen, now! weet, weet, weet, weet, 
Mousie's babes their mother greet. 
Good for them, my Kitty-cat, 
That you missed old Pitty-pat. 



35. KITTY AND MOUSIE. 

itty dear, with silken fur, 
Lie on the rug and gently pur, 
And do not run about the house, 
To catch the pretty little mouse. 

Poor mousie sees a bit of cheese, 
Which he can get with perfect ease, 
But wnen he hears you slyly come, 
He scampers off to find his home. 

He soon returns to take a peep, 
And finds Miss Kitty fast asleep; 
So up he jumps and takes a bite, 
Then wishes Kit a kind u Good-night," 



36. THE LAMBS. 

amma, let's go and see the lambs, 
This warm and sunny day; 
I think it must make them very glad, 
And full of fun and play. 




— 31 — 

Ah, there they are ! You pretty things ! 
Now don't you run away; 
I came on purpose, with mamma, 
To see you, this fine day. 

What pretty little heads you've got ! 
And such good-natured eyes ! 
And ruff of wool all round your necks — 
How nicely curled it lies ! 

Come here, you little lambkin, come, 
And lick my hand — now do, 
How silly to be so afraid, 
Indeed, I won't hurt you. 

Just put your hand upon its back, 
Mamma; how nice and warm- 
There, pretty lamb, you see I don't 
Intend to do you harm. 

37. THE BEE AND THE ROSE. 



hope you'll not accuse me, 
But excuse me, " 

Said the simple Bee to the royal red Rose, 
" If I take a pot of honey, 
And don't put down my money, 
For, alas ! I haven't any, as all the world knows. 

' ' Mister Bee, don't worry, 

Nor be sorry," 

Said the queenly Rose to the poor little Bee. 




— 32 — 

' ' You 've paid me for my honey, 

Much better than with money, 

In the sweet songs of summer, you sing and sing to me.'' 

38. WHAT THE FAIRY SAID TO LITTLE 
CURLY- LOCKS. 

little girlie, 
Bright and early, 
Gathering roses red, 
Found a wee fairy, 
So light and airy, 
And these are the words they said: 

" Little fairy, 

Bright and airy, 

What do you do all day ?" 

' ' 0, my cobweb swing 

Is a dainty thing, 

And I swing the hours away; 

Or I lie and rest 

In a rose-leaf nest, 

And wait for the time to play." 

"Little fairy, 

Bright and airy, 

What do you do all night ?" 

"0, I flit away 

To the woods to play 

With the fays, in the white moonlight; 

Or to tangle the curls 

Of naughty girls, 

And make them look like a fright." 



— 33 — 
$^jZ^ 39. FORCET ME NOT. 

Slip 

01, hen, to flowers so beautiful 

The Father gave a name, 
'Back came a little blue-eyed one, 

All timidly it came; 
And, standing at the Father's feet 

And gazing in His face, 
It said with meek and timid voice, 

Yet with a gentle grace: 
Dear Lord, the name Thou gavest me 

Alas ! I have forgot — 
The Father kindly looked him down, 

And said : Forget me not. 




40. THE FORGET-ME-NOT. 



here blooms a lovely floweret 
On our green lawn, so blue, 
Its eye is like the heavens, 
So tender, pure, and true. 

Its words are few and scanty, 
And all it e'er was taught, 
It always keeps repeating 
These words, forget me not. 




— 34 — 
41. THE BROOKLET. 



here is a brooklet just over the way. 
Out with the butter-cup blossoms at play, 
Running between them, and laughing all day; 
u Play with rue, flowers and children who may!" 

There is a little bird up in the tree, 
Teaching her nestlings to sing "chee, chee, chee." 
This means in English, ' ' How happy are we, 
Nearer to heaven, oh who would not be !" 

There is a little bee fresh from the hive, 
Truly the busiest fellow alive, 
Helping himself to the sweets that he lacks, 
Begging the blossoms for honey and wax. 

There was a little child passing, who heard 
Song of the brooklet and carol of bird. 
Smiled on the bee as he buzzed on his way, 
"I will be busy and happy as they." 



42. STOP, STOP, PRETTY WATER. 




top, stop, pretty water, " 
Said Mary one day, 
To a frolicsome brook, 
That was running away. 



— 35 — 

' ' You run on so fast ! 
I wish you would stay: 
My boat and my flowers, 
You will carry away. 

But I will run after, 
Mother says that I may, 
For I would know where 
You are running away." 

So Mary ran on, 
But I have heard say, 
That she never could find, 
Where the brook ran away. 




43. THE CHILD AND THE BROOK. 



here did you come from ? say, pretty child ! 
And whither away so fast ?" 
Asked a thoughtful child of a babbling brook. 
As it leaped in gladness past. 

' 'Ah ha ! little girl, my mother spring, 
Is up on the mountain-side ; 
I leaped from her lap, like a truant boy, 
And down through the hills I glide." 



' ' But what is your hurry ? please tarry a while, 
Just up in this flowery nook, 
Where violets cluster, blue as the skies!" 
"I can't"— says the hurrying brook! 



' ' But what is the song, you sing, pretty brook ! 
You sing so pretty and sweet?" 
' ' The song, little girl, is the holiday song, 
Of the pebbles beneath my feet." 

"No one will miss you, I'm sure, pretty brook! 
There is nothing for you to do !" 
' ' Nothing for me ? ha, ha ! little girl, 
There is more for me, than you. 

The flowers are drooping down in the glen, 
And long to see me appear ; 
They hang their heads on their withering stalks, 
While I am loitering here. 

"And I turn the mill, at the foot of the hill, 
Brimful of frolic and glee ! 
Then how can I stay ? I must hurry away, 
For the miller is waiting for me. 

' ' Good-bye, little girl, I have tarried too long, 
To chat with a child like you ; 
While I run to the sea, full of frolic and glee, 
You see I have something to do !" 



44. THE RIVER. 

ippling, purling little river, 
Always flowing hastening on, 
See the sparkling, silvery ripples, 
As they vanish one by one, 





— 37 — 

Down the hill-side, through they valley, 
Gliding onward, murmuring low, 
Watering flowers, pretty flowers, 
Giving joy where'er you go. 

Ah, the waves are like the hours, 
Which so swiftly pass away, 
One by one, they too will vanish, 
Though they're now so bright and gay. 

Therefore let us now learn gladly, 
What will through our lives remain, 
Hours hasten, without tarrying, 
And not one comes back again. 



45. THE BOY AND THE RAIN DROPS. 

itter-patter, pitter-patter, 
On the window pane ! 
Oh, where do you come from, 
You little drops of rain ? 

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, 
Is what I hear you say; 
Tell me little rain drops, 
Is this the way you play ? 

I sit here at the window; 
I've nothing else to do; 
Oh, how I'd like to play, 
This rainy day with you ! 




The little rain drops cannot speak, 
But, "Pitter-patter, pat" 
Means, ' l We play on this side, 
But you must play on that." 



46. THE WIND. 



am the wind, 

And I come very fast; 
Through the tall wood 
I blow a loud blast. 
Sometimes I am soft, 

As a sweet, gentle child; 
I play with the flowers, 

Am quiet and mild. 
And then out so loud 

All at once I can roar, 
If you wish to be quiet, 

Close window and door. 
I am the wind, 

And I come very fast; 
Through the tall wood 

I blow a loud blast. 



47. CH!MNEY-TOPS. 

h ! the morning is gray; 
And what kind of a day 
Is it likely to be ?" 
' ' You must look up and see 
What the chimney-tops say. 




— 39 — 

' ' If the smoke from the mouth 
Of the chimney goes south, 
Tis the north wind that blows 
From the country of snows : 
Look out for rough weather ; 
The cold and the north wind 
Are always together. 

' ' If the smoke pouring forth 
From the chimney goes north, 
A mild day it will be, 
A warm time we shall see: 
The south wind is blowing 
From lands where the orange 
And fig trees are growing. 

"But, if west goes the smoke, 
Get your water-proof cloak 
And umbrella about : 
'Tis the east wind that's out, 
A wet day you'll find it : 
The east wind has always 
A storm close behind it. 

"But, if east the smoke flies, 
We may look for blue skies : 
Soon the clouds will take flight, 
'Twill be sunny and bright. 
The sweetest and best wind 
Is surely that fair-weather 
Bringer, the west wind." 




— 40 — 

48. COOD MORNING! 

ood morning, merry Sunshine, 
How can you wake so soon ? 
You ' ve scared the little stars away 
And shined away the moon. 

u I saw you go to sleep last night 
Before I ceased my playing. 
How did you get 'way over here ? 
And where have you been staying ?" 



' ' I never go to sleep, dear child, 

I just go round to see 

My little children of the East, 

Who rise and watch for me. 

u I waken all the birds, and bees, 

And flowers on my way; 

And, last of all, the little boy 

Who stayed out late to play." 



49. THE MOON. 



.%QJy h, mother, how pretty the moon looks to-night, 
ll^She was never so cunning before, 

Her two little horns are so sharp and so bright, 

I hope they'll not grow any more. 

If I were up there with you and my friends, 

We would rock in it nicely, you see, 

We would sit in the middle, and hold by both ends, 

Oh what a bright cradle 'twould, be I 



— 41 — 

We would call to the stars to keep out of the way, 

Lest we should rock over their toes, 

And there we would sit till the dawn of the day, 

And see where the pretty moon goes. 

And there we would rock in the beautiful skies, 

Or through the bright clouds we would roam, 

We'd see the sun set, and see the sun rise, 

And on the next rainbow come home. 



50. THE EYES OF ANGELS. 
A little girl -was disappointed when her mother told her 
what the stars were. She said : "I thought they were the 
of angels." 



imma, what are those little things, 

That twinkle from the skies ?" 

"The stars, my child." "I thought, mamma, 

They were the angels' eyes. 



" They look down on me, so like yours, 
As beautiful and mild ; 
When by my crib you used to sit 
And watch your feverish child. 

' ' And always, when I shut my eyes, 
And said my little prayers, 
I felt so safe, because I knew 
That they had opened theirs." 





— 42 — 
51. BUTTER-CUPS AND DAISIES. 

utter-cups and daisies, — 
Oh ! the pretty flowers, — 
Coming ere the spring-time, 
To tell of sunny hours, 
While the trees are leafless, 
While the fields are bare, 
Butter-cups and daisies fine 
Spring up here and there. 



Ere the snow-drop peepeth, 
Ere the crocus bold, 
Ere the early primrose 
Opes its paly gold, 
Somewhere on a sunny bank 
Butter-cups are bright ; 
Somewhere 'mong the frozen grass, 
Peeps the daisy white ! 

Welcome, yellow butter-cups, 
Welcome, daisies white ! 
Ye are to my spirit 
Beauty and delight ! 
Coming ere the spring-time, 
Of sunny hours to tell, — 
Speaking to our hearts of Him 
11 Who does all things well" 





— 43 — 
SPRING SONG. 

11 the birds have come again, 
Come again to meet us ! 
And a joyous song they raise, 
Chirping, trilling merry lays ! 
Pleasant spring-time's happy days 
Now return to greet us. 

See how gaily one and all 

To and fro are springing ! 

As their singing meets mine ear, 

Yoices sweet I seem to hear, 

Wishing me a happy year, 

Blessings with it bringing. 

What they teach us in the song 
We must e'er be learning ; 
Let us ever cheerful be, 
As the birds upon the tree, 
Welcoming so joyously 
Ev'ry spring returning ! 

53. THE APRIL SHOWER. 

atter, patter, let it pour ; 

Patter, patter, let it roar ! 
Down the steep roof let it rush ; 

Down the hill side let it gush ! 
"lis the welcome April shower 

Which will bring the sweet May flower. 




— 44 — 

Patter, patter, let it pour ! 

Patter, patter, let it roar ! 
Soon the clouds will burst away ; 

Soon will shine the bright spring day ■ 
Soon the welcome April shower 

Will awake the sweet May flower. 



54. IT IS MAY. 

11 the birds and bees are singing ; 
All the lily bells are ringing ; 
All the brooks run full of laughter, 
And the wind flies whispering after, 
What is this they sing and say ? 
"It is May!" 

Look, my children, look ! the meadows, 
Where the sunshine chases shadows, 
Are alive with fairy faces 
Peeping from their grassy places. 
What is this the flowers say ? 
"It is May!" 

See ! the fair blue sky is brighter, 
And our hearts with hope are lighter ; 
All the bells of joy are ringing ; 
All our grateful voices singing ; 
All the storms have passed away ; 
"It is May!" 





— 45 — 

J y 55. THE JOYS OF SUMMER. 

hildren, see the bright sun gleaming, 
Grlitt'ring in the morning dew, 
Summer joys all round are beaming, 
In the woods and meadows too. 

In the vales the scythes are ringing, 
Where the merry mowers swarm ; 
Happy birds are loudly singing 
In the sunshine clear and warm. 

In the pasture, decked with flowers, 
Lambs are frisking here and there ; 
Lively children, in green bowers, 
Dance and frolick free from care. 

Whortleberries blue are growing, 
Woodbines shed their sweet perfume, 
Strawberries their heads are bowing, 
Bright the red wild roses bloom. 

Trees their shady bowers are wreathing, 
Every-where is pure delight ; 
Every one fresh life is breathing, 
Man, be grateful day and night ! 

56. AMONC THE FLOWERS. 

way among the blossoms, 
The summer time has come ; 
We hear the singing waters, 
We hear the insect hum. 



— 46 — 

Away among the blossoms, 
The many birds are there ; 
We hear the chorus early ; 
"lis trilling on the air. 

Away among the blossoms, 
The daisies all are bright ; 
And in the dewy meadows, 
The clover-tops are white. 

Away among the blossoms, 

A happy world is ours ; 

Then praise our Heavenly Father, 

Whose smile is on the flowers. 



57. AUTUMN SONG. 



very fruit is mellow, 
Every field is yellow, 
Summer days are gone ; 
Leaves the ground are strewing, 
Cooler winds are blowing — 
Autumn has begun. 

Clustered grapes hang sleeping, 
Where the winds soft creeping, 
Lift their leafy shade ; 
See the pears are ripening, 
Golden apples deep'ning 
Into blushing red. 




— 47 — 
4^ 58. THE RUDE PLAYMATE. 

ik-leaf and maple-leaf!" Hear the wind call : 
^7* ■ • Beech-leaf and willow-leaf, flutter and fall ! 
lied leaves and yellow leaves, orange and brown, 
Dance on the shaken boughs, dance, and come down 
I'll be your playfellow, careless and gay, 
We will keep sporting through all of the clay : 
Up in the air, or about on the ground, 
Merrily, merrily whirling around, 
Hither and thither, wherever I blow, 
Over the hills and the fields you shall go. 

' ' Red leaves and yellow leaves, flutter and fall ! 
Come to me, come to me ! " hear the wind call. 
Fair are his promises. Off from the bough, 
Down comes a pretty red maple-leaf now. 
Poor little thing ! By to-night it will be 
Wishing again it were back on the tree. 
Rude is the wild wind, and rough is his play ; 
Hardest of labor is sporting all day. 



59. WINTER SONG. 

ack Frost is a roguish little fellow. 
When the wint'ry wind begins to bellow, 
He flies like a bird through the air, 
And steals through the cracks every-where. 




— 48 — 

He nips little children on the nose, 

He pinches little children on the toes, 

He pulls little children by the ears, 

And draws from their eyes the big round tears. 

He makes little girls cry, oh, oh, oh ! 

He makes little boys say, how, how, how . 

But when we kindle up a good warm fire, 

Than Jack Frost is compelled to retire, 

So up the chimney, skips the roguish little boy, 

And all the little children jump for joy. 



J&gL 60. THE SNOW. 

HL 

^Jy h, see ! the snow 
gp|Hs falling now— 

It powders all the trees ; 

Its flakes abound, 

And all around, 

They float upon the breeze ! 

'Tis snowing fast, 

And cold the blast ; 

But yet, I hope, 'twill stay ;- 

Oh, see it blow, 

The falling snow, 

In shadows far away ! 

Jack Frost is near — 
We feel him here — 



— 49 — 

He's on his icy sled ; 
And, covered deep, 
The flowers sleep 
Beneath their snowy bed. 

Come out and play, 

This winter day, 

Amid the falling snow ; 

Come, young and old, 

Fear not the cold, 

Nor howling winds that blow ! 



U {J^K 61. OLD SANTA CLAUS. 

Id Santa Claus sat all alone in his den, 
i^With his leg crossed over his knee ; 

While a comical look peeped out at his eyes, 
For a funny old fellow is he. 

His queer little cap was tumbled and torn, 
And his wig it was all awry ; 
But he sat and mused the whole day long, 
While the hours went flying by. 

He had been as busy as busy can be, 

In filling his pack with toys ; 

He had gathered his nuts, and baked his pies, 

To give to the girls and boys. 

There were dolls for the girls, and whips for the 

boys, 
With wheel-barrows, horses, and drays ; 



— 50 — 

And bureaus and trunks for Dolly's new clothes ; 
All these in his pack he displays. 

Of candy, too, both twisted and striped, 
He had furnished a plentiful store ; 
While raisins and figs, and prunes and grapes, 
Hung up on a peg by the door. 

I am almost ready, quoth he, quoth he, 
And Christmas is almost here ; 
But one thing more — I must write a book, 
And give to each one this year. 

So he clapped his specs on his little round nose, 
And seizing the stump of a pen, 
He wrote more lines in one little hour, 
Than you ever could write in ten. 

He told them stories all pretty and new, 
And wrote them all out in rhyme ; 
Then packed them away with his box of toys, 
To distribute one at a time. 

And Christmas Eve, when all were in bed, 
Right down the chimney he flew ; 
And stretching the stocking-leg out at the top, 
He clapped in a book for you. 



TALES. 



53 — 



Bible Histokies. 




I. DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN. 

nee there lived a good man, named Daniel, in the 
&-city of a great and wicked king, who, with all his 
^^ people, worshiped idols ; but Daniel prayed to God. 
The people heard him, and went slyly to the king, who 
loved Daniel, and made him promise to cast into a den of 
lions any who worshiped other than their idol gods. So 
he promised, and they told him of Daniel. Then he was 
sorry, but he had to keep his word; and Daniel was put 
among the lions. And, what do you think ! Daniel slept 
better that night than the king ! 

The Lord sent his angels to take care of him, and the 
lions were as gentle as lambs. But the king was wretched 
all night, for his conscience told him he had killed a holy 
man. But how glad he was, when he went to the mouth 
of the den and called, to hear Daniel's voice. Perhaps that 
heathen king had prayed to Daniel's God to take care of 
him. 




— 54 — 
2. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 

he country in which Jesus was born is far away in 
.the East, and is called the Holy Land or Land ot 
Promise, because God had promised it to Abraham 
and his children. — Now over this country there once ruled 
a king, whose name was Herod. But there was over him 
another master, called Augustus. And it so happened, that 
Caesar Augustus commanded all the people to be taxed, and 
to that end all must have their names written clown in 
a large book, each one in his own city. 

So Joseph also went with Mary, his wife, to Bethlehem, 
his city. And while they were there, God gave them a 
little son. Mary wrapped him in clothes, and laid him in 
a manger, as there was no other room for him in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shepherds in the 
field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And the 
angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the 
Lord shone round about them, and they were afraid. But 
the angel said unto them : Fear not, for I bring unto you 
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people ; for 
unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you : Ye shall find 
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 
And suddenly many more angels appeared and sang : 
"Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth!" And 
when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the 
shepherds said : Let us now go unto Bethlehem, and see 
this thing which has come to pass ; and they came with 
haste, and found Mary, and Joseph and the baby lying in 
a manger ; and the angels singing praises to God. 




— 55 — 
3. JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. 

r he parents of Jesus "went to Jerusalem every year, 
[■at the feast of the passover," to "worship in the 
beautiful temple. 

And when he was twelve years old, they went up to 
Jerusalem according' to the custom of the feast. 

And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, 
the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and Joseph 
and his mother knew not of it. 

But they, supposing him to have been in the company, 
went a day's journey ; and they sought him among their 
kinsfolk and acquaintance. — And when they found him 
not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 

And it came to pass, that after three days they found 
him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both 
hearing them and asking them questions. 

And all that heard him were astonished at his under- 
standing and answers. 

And when they saw him, they were amazed : and his 
mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with 
us ? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? 
Do ye not know that I must be about my Father's busi- 
ness ? — And they understood not the saying which he 
spake unto them. 

And he Went down with them, and came to Nazareth, 
and was subject unto them : but his mother kept all these 
sayings in her heart. — And Jesus increased in wisdom and 
stature, and in favor with God and man." 




— 56 — 

4. JESUS THE FRIEND OF THE LITTLE 
CHILDREN. 

r he gentle Christ-Child, who was always obedient to 
[his parents, and whose heart was full of the love 
of his Father in Heaven, did not remain a child, he 
grew up, still loving his Heavenly Father more and more, 
and also loving all men, to whom he was full of kindness. 

He Went about in the country with his twelve disciples, 
whom he taught, in order to do good to the people wherever 
he was. 

He comforted those that were sad-hearted, he gave bread 
to the hungry, he healed the sick, and he even called back 
the dead to life. 

Once, when Jesus had just sat down to rest, a great 
many mothers came to him with their children, for they 
knew that he was good, and they wished that he might 
speak to their little ones kindly and bless them. 

But the disciples of Jesus told the mothers to go away 
with their children, and not to disturb the Master. But as 
soon as Jesus heard this, he said: " Suffer little children to 
come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the king- 
dom of Heaven." And he took the children in his arms, 
kissed them, and laid his hands on them and blessed them. 



— 5.7 — 



Miscellaneous Tales. 



\X^ 5. THE LITTLE PREACHER. 

y$L sri't he too cunning for any thing ? Quick, Allie ! 
(.Come softly, or you'll frighten him away. See here 
-right in my hat, the little mischief!" 

Laurie had been hunting for his hat ever since dinner, 
and had just discovered it on a ledge of the barn where he 
had tossed it that morning. But some one had found it 
before him — a little brown bird, who, thinking it looked 
inviting, had hopped in and was chirping away to himself 
in the liveliest way when Laurie first spied him. 

Alice came up on tiptoe ; but, finding that Mr. Wren, 
instead of taking offense at their boldness, hopped about 
Laurie's hat as though he rather enjoyed being looked at, 
the children soon drew nearer to their sociable little friend. 

"I never was so close to one before," whispered Alice, 
the eldest of the three ; ' 'what a pretty color he is ! sort 
of reddish brown." 

'And his wings," said Belle, li brown, with those 
beautiful white dots across them," 



— 58 — 

"He's a conceited little fellow, though," laughed 
Laurie ; "he's showing off as well as he knows how. Look 
at the short, turned-up tail, and just see how he's winking 
at us." 

The idea of a bird winking was so very funny to Belle 
that, without thinking, she broke into a merry laugh, and 
Mr. Wren, supposing that they were making fun of him, 
and not liking it any better than other people, flew off in 
as dignified a manner as was possible for such a merry 
little bird, and perched far up in the old elm-tree. The 
children were very much disappointed ; but as there was 
no chance of seeing him again, they thought the next best 
thing was to go in and tell mother the story. Laurie 
determined to put his hat in the same place in the morning 
with some nice bread-crumbs on its brim, to tempt the 
little fellow to hop in again. 

"Such a horrid rainy day!" muttered Laurie, who was 
sitting on the window all the next morning, kicking the 
wood-work, and looking out with a most disgusted expres- 
sion at the storm. Alice was at the piano slowly picking 
out a tune. "I do wish you would stop kicking, Laurie," 
she said very impatiently, "it does make me so nervous." 
"Nervous! You'd better say cross and be done with it. 
Nothing but '0 Laurie ! don't!' or, '0 Laurie ! do!' every 
half-second." And down he jumped with as much noise as 
possible, and then threw himself on the sofa by little 
Belle. 

Mother looked up from her writing after a few moments, 
and said pleasantly, "Children, have you looked for Mr. 
Wren this morning ?" 



— 59 — 

"There isn't any use,'' growled Laurie, getting up lazily. 
"We were going to have such gay times to-day, hunting 
for him ; but there'll be no birds in sight in such a rain.'' 

"I am not so sure about that." And Mrs. Wilson went 
to the window as she spoke ; ' 'I should not be at all sur- 
prised to see either Mr. Wren or some of his family." They 
all stood and watched by the window. 

"There, there he is!" cried Belle, suddenly, clapping 
her little hands in delight. 

'•'And did you ever?" said Alice, "chirping away as 
though it was a most delightful day." The children's good 
humor was restored in a moment ; how they laughed as 
they watched Mr. Wren daintily picking his way across 
the garden path, which to him must have seemed quite like 
a swollen river ! But he didn't mind, oh ! no, not a bit ; 
he chirped and hopped, then flew a little way. up went his 
cute little tail, then his head, and on he went as chirk and 
merry as when he sat in Laurie's hat, and sang to the sun- 
shine. He was busy now, very busy picking up straws, 
dead leaves and twigs, finding material for the little house 
he and his mate were going to begin. He couldn't think 
of minding the rain with so much work to do— indeed, I 
don't believe he even thought ot such a thing ; for wrens 
are the busiest of birds, always building, always at work. 
They make nest after nest just for the pleasure of making 
them, though the home nest is more carefully put together 
and always lined withe nice soft feathers. The children 
noticed some other kind of birds in the trees ; but they 
seemed quiet and melancholy ; some sparrows were sitting- 
silent on the branches, with drooping wings and heads, but 



— 60 — 

the gloomy weather didn't trouble the merry little wrens 
in the least, all weather was alike to them, they had their 
work to do, and one time was quite as good as another. 

' 'I think we shall have to call Mr. Wren our little 
preacher," said Mrs. Wilson, looking down on the once 
more smiling faces of her three children. ' 'Don't you think 
he has done us all good this morning ? I like his little ser- 
mon very much myself." 

The children laughed, but they looked a little ashamed 
at the same time. Pretty soon Alice said shyly, ' 'I was 
real cross to-day, just because it rained. I didn't want to 
practice or do any thing." — "And a little bird has taught 
you a better way, " said mother, kissing her. 

"I'll remember the Rev. Mr. Wren when it storms 
again, you see if I don't ! " whispered Laurie in confidence 
to Belle ; and catching up his spelling-book, he went to 
work in good earnest, and the little girls, soon following his 
example, went back with bright faces to their studies. They 
tried all day to be as cheerful and merry as Mr. Wren was; 
and by keeping as busy as he did, their time passed quick- 
ly ; and when they talked about it afterward, they all 
agreed that it had been the nicest rainy day they had ever 
had. So much for having cheerful hearts and plenty to do. 

6. HOW LITTLE AMY LEARNED TO WORK. 

once knew a little girl named Amy Stuart, who 
[liked to play better than she did to work. She loved 
to run in the garden, and hear the birds sing, and 
chase the butterflies, and smell the sweet flowers. 




— 61 — 

Amy had no little brothers or sisters to talk to, so she 
talked to the animals, and insects and flowers, and she said 
they talked to her, and she understood all they said. 

One day her mother said : "Amy, I think you are big- 
enough now to begin to do a little work every day. You 
will learn as you grow older that every one has some work 
to do, and it is best to learn young to be industrious/' 
"Oh, mamma," said Amy, "I don't like to work, I would 
rather play, it is so much nicer. Can't I go out in the 
woods a little while, and play, before I do my work?" 
"Well," said her mother, "as I haven't any thing ready 
just now for you to do, you may go." 

So away Amy skipped through the pleasant garden, into 
the shady woods. A gray squirrel ran across her path, and 
Amy called to it : " Say, dear squirrel, you don't have any 
thing to do but play and eat nuts, do you ?" 

"My dear child," said the squirrel, "you are very 
much mistaken, I have quite a large family to support, and 
am very busy now, laying by a store of nuts to last them 
all winter, so I cannot stop to talk with you," and away he 
jumped. Just then a bee came buzzing by. Said Amy, 
' ' Little bee, do you have any work to do ? I never see 
you doing any thing but getting honey from the lovely 
flowers." 

"Indeed," said the bee, "it seems to me I never have 
time for any thing but work. After I have filled my little 
bags with the flowers' honey, I go home to my hive, build 
a beautiful honeycomb and fill the cells with honey, so you 
see I have plenty to do, " and away he flew to light on a 
sweet pink clover. 



— 62 — 

Amy walked on a little way, when she saw some ants 
who seemed to be in a great hurry. She watched them 
a while and then spoke to one of them saying: 

' ' Isn't that bread crumb you are carrying too heavy for 
you ? It makes me feel so sorry to see you, I wish you 
could play all the time and enjoy yourself." " Oh ; " said the 
ant, " I am so glad to get the crumb, that I quite enjoy 
carrying it, although it is rather heavy. I will rest a while, 
and tell you about a lazy fit I had once. Our house was 
entirely destroyed one day, I don't know what did it, but 
we just escaped with our lives. My brothers and sisters 
said : ' Let us build a new one' ; but I said, ' No, I'm 
tired of working, let's go traveling and see if we can't find 
a house ready-macle for us, then may be we will find time to 
play a little, like the butterflies do'. 

' 'We traveled a long, long way, but we found no house 
ready for us, and as we were very tired, we tried to get 
some of our relations to share their houses with us, but they 
all said, 'No, you must be very lazy ants, or you would have 
built yourselves a new house long ago'. At last we were 
forced to go to work and built a house, and since then we 
have been very well contented to do all the work that it is 
necessary to do," and the little ant picked up his bread 
crumb and hurried away. —Amy sat down on a stone, and 
this is what she said to herself: u It seems to me that 
every thing has something to do, and what is so funny is 
that they all seem to like their work. But I don't believe 
flowers have any employment, I will ask one of them." 

So she walked into the garden and said to a handsome 
Poppy, ,,Dear Poppy, do flowers ever work?" 



— G3 — 

•• My dear little Amy," said the Poppy, "of course we 
do. Did you never hear that the flowers turn into fairies 
at night, and each one must do some good deed, or she will 
not have any honey the next day ? Now I go and visit all 
their eyelids, and fan them with one of my leaves until they 
fall asleep." 

Amy walked slowly home, went to her mother, and said: 
' ' Mamma, the squirrels, the bees, the ants, and the flowers, 
all have something to do, and I am the only idle one amongst 
them. I think I will try and finish hemming that towel I 
commenced so long ago." — I have since heard that Amy 
grew up to be a very industrious girl, while she loved flow- 
ers, and animals and birds and insects, as much as ever. 



7. THE LITTLE RAIN DROP. 

.here was once a farmer, who had a large field. He 
.plowed it, and planted it with corn, and weeded it 
very carefully, as he had nothing else to depend on 
for the support of his wife and children. 

But after he had worked so hard, he saw the corn begin 
to droop for want of rain, and he thought he should lose his 
crop. This made him very sad, and he went out every day 
to look at his corn and see if there was any hope of rain. 
One day, as he stood looking at the sky very sadly, two 
little rain drops up in the clouds over his head saw him, and 
one said to the other, "Look at that poor farmer : I feel 
sorry for him, he has taken great pains with his field of 
corn, and now it is all drooping, I wish I could do him 
some good." 




— 64 — 

"Yes," said the other, "but you are only a little rain 
drop, and what can you do ? You cannot wet even one 
hillock." 

"Well," said the first, "to be sure, I cannot do much, 
but I can cheer the farmer a little at any rate, and I mean 
to do my best. I'll try; I'll go to the field to show my 
good will, if I can do no more, so here I go." 

And down went the raindrop, and came pat on the 
farmer's nose, and then fell on one stalk of corn. 

"Dear me!" said the farmer, "what's that? A rain 
drop ! Where did that come from ? I do believe we shall 
have a shower." 

The first rain drop had no sooner started than the second 
one said, "Well, if you go, I'll go too." 

So down it dropped, and fell on another stalk of corn. 
By this time a great many rain drops had come up to hear 
what their friends were talking of. So, when they heard 
them and saw them going to water the corn and cheer the 
farmer's heart, one of them said, "If you are going on 
such a good errand, I'll go too," and down it came. "So 
will I ! so will I !" said the others, till a whole shower of 
them came, and the corn ceased to droop, and grew and 
got ripe, and all because the little rain drop did what it could. 



8. THE DROP OF WATER. 

.s a little brook was running merrily along on its 

►-n^gJ^ way to the sea, one of its water drops suddenly 

stood still and stopped behind, having been caught by the 

root of a forget-me-not, which grew by the side of the brook. 



— 65 — 

A little girl who saw this water drop, wished to know 
all about it, and this is the story the water drop told her. 

' 'A long while ago I lived with my countless sisters in 
the great seas. We had all sorts of pastimes ; sometimes 
we mounted up high in the air, and peeped at the stars ; 
then we sank down deep below, and saw how the great 
whales sported about, and the little fishes chased one 
another. 

"One day, when the sun rose out of the sea, I clung fast 
to one of his hot beams, and thought that now I should 
reach the stars and become one of them. But I had not 
ascended very far when the sunbeam shook me off and let 
me fall into a black cloud. Then I sailed about in the 
cloud • - now high up in the sky, and now low down near 
the earth — till the cloud approached the top of a mountain, 
when a flash of fire suddenly darted through it, and a loud 
and frightful sound rung all around. 

c 'I thought I must surely die. But the cloud laid itself 
down softly on the top of the mountain, and I escaped by 
trickling into a little hole in the ground. 

"I now wished to rest awhile, but the hole into which I 
fell was much deeper than I thought, so I slipped down 
and down, till I reached a place which was very dark, and 
where I could neither see nor hear any thing. Then I began 
to fear that I was to be a prisoner for life. Happily my 
fears were groundless ; for after a long and tiresome jour- 
ney in the dark, and over all sorts of toils and rocks, I was 
at last permitted to come up once more into the free, cheer- 
ful air. And now I will run back to my sisters, and wait 
patiently till I am called to something new." 



— 66 — 

But not yet was the little water drop allowed to go to its 
sisters in the sea, for just then the root of the forget-me-not 
seized it, and sucked it in, that it might become a floweret, 
and twinkle brightly as a blue star on the green earth. 

k) g#^ 9 - THE CL0UDS - 

\ JtaP ne day John and Mary took a walk with their father. 
•&^lzlt was a very warm, sultry day, and far up in the 
sky were many clouds. 

"Just look," said John, "what big clouds!" 

"Oh yes," said Mary ; "I wonder what the Lord has 
made the clouds for!" 

"The clouds are very useful," said the father. 

"The Lord has made them because he loves us; the 
clouds are big curtains." 

"Curtains!" exclaimed the children, astonished. 

"Yes, truly," answered the father; "don't you know 
what we use curtains for ?" ' 

"Oh yes, " said Mary, " "I know. When the sun shines 
too strongly, we pull down the curtains to keep off the heat. " 
"Yes," said the father. "Now, when the sun shines 
very hot on the fields, the cows in the meadow are weary 
and restless, and the flowers and plants bow their little 
heads to the ground. Then the Lord spreads out the clouds 
before the sun, just as you pull down the curtains, and the 
cows enjoy the sweet grass, and the flowers and plants lift 
up their heads again." 

While the father was speaking, it began to rain. They 
went into a farm-house for shelter. The children placed 



themselves at the window to look at the rain ; which was 
falling in a heavy shower. 

"That rain, too," said the father, "comes froni the 
clouds." 

"What a pity!" said John;" we cannot walk now; 
every thing is wet." 

"True," answered the father. "Still it is very useful. 
The clouds are made to give rain. They are big watering- 
pots." 

' i Watering-pots ! " said Mary, opening her eyes in 
wonder. 

"Yes, my child," said the father. "What does the 
gardener use his watering-pot for?" 

"To moisten the ground," said John quickly. 

"Yes," cried Mary, "for if the ground is too dry, the 
flowers will not grow." 

"Just so," said the father. "But when the great 
meadows and fields are too dry, what gardener is big 
enough to water them ? And when the farmer's land is so 
dry that the potatoes and the cabbages and the corn won't 
grow, who is to wet the soil about the roots of all these?" 

"Oh, I see! I see!" exclaimed John. "Then the Lord 
takes those big clouds and presses rain out of them." 

"He does," said the father ; "the clouds are big water- 
ing-pots with which the Lord wets this beautiful world of 
ours, as the gardener wets our garden." 

The rain was soon over, and the father again went out 
with his children. 

"How pleasant it is!" they said, as they breathed the 
cool fresh air. 



— 68 — 

"Yes," said the father. "Now, look at the clouds." 
The children looked up, and cried out, "How beau- 
tiful!" 

There the great clouds floated about in the sky. The 
sun had just broken through them, and given them all sorts 
of fine colors. Some had gilt edges ; others were red, like 
crimson ; some, again, were purple, pink, light blue, and 
dark blue. Many of them were in strange shapes. On the 
left-hand side was a bluish cloud, that looked like a large 
ship with its sails set to the top ; on the right was a dark 
cloud, that had very much the shape of a cow with three 
horns. 

The children laughed in delight as they found out what 
the clouds were like. 

"Now you see, " said the father, "that the clouds are 
pictures too. We hang up pictures and engravings in our 
rooms. So the Lord hangs up golden, purple, and blue 
clouds on the walls of the sky, to make a beautiful parlor 
for our whole earth." 



10. DAISY CHAIN. 

the Summer is gone," saidMaltie to herself one day, 
[for she went every day to ramble in the woods and 
talk to herself or to the flowers. ' 'Summer is gone ; but 
she has forgotten to take her daisies. Here are a dozen of 
them in this open, sunny place. But the wild asters are 
Autumn's children, and they must be related to the daisies, 
for they look almost like them, only they are purple," 




— 69 — 

Maltie sat clown among the asters with her hands full of 
daisies, and began twisting them into a daisy chain. Then 
a pretty thought made her smile to herself. 

' '"Why can't I do as papa did when our English cousins 
came from the city to see us on the 4th of July ? He twisted 
the American and English flags so gracefully together over 
the porch." 

So Maltie blended the Summer and the Autumn in a 
daisy and aster chain, and when she told her father what 
it meant, he kissed her and called her his "little poet." 

II. THE LAST SWALLOW. 

the swallows were flying off to the South, except 
one dear little swallow ; and he stayed on the wall, 
and looked round on the pleasant fields where he had been 
living ; and he did not want to leave them. 

Besides, he knew a little boy and girl who used to feed 
him ; and he thought they would miss him if he flew off 
many long, long miles to the South, where there is no snow. 
The other swallows called out to him to come with 
them, and fly off to the sunny South ; but still he lingered, 
and did not care to go. 

"Follow, follow, follow, 
Swallow, swallow, swallow!" 
sang the others ; but he did not heed them. 

Then a black cloud came over the sky, and a chill breeze 
swept down over the earth ; and the little swallow thought 
to himself, "That must be the breath of old Winter of 
whom I have heard so much, and from whom all the birds 




— 10 — 

of our family fly off because they do not like him. I have 
half a mind to stay and see what he is like. " 

So the little swallow stayed and stayed, till it was too 
late for him to join his friends; and then it came on to snow. 
And the little swallow thought to himself, "Oh! I don't 
like this at all. The grass is all covered with white ; and 
where are all the flies gone? What shall I do for food?" 

The little boy and girl who had been kind to him saw 
him, and let him know that they were willing to take care 
of him, and feed him. He flew round their heads once, 
twice, three times, as if to say, "Good-by, dear little 
friends : I will be back again next spring, when the violets 
are in bloom." 

Then the last swallow flew off in a straight line for the 
South, and left the rude, cold Winter behind him, and flew 
arid flew till he found all his fellow-swallows, where the 
trees and bushes were yet green : and his fellow-swallows 
were all very glad to see him ; for they had been afraid he 
was lost. 

12. JOHNNY'S FIRST SNOW-STORM. 

ohnny Reed was a little boy who never saw a snow- 
^ storm till he was six years old. Before' this he had 
lived in a warm country, where the sun shines down on 
orange-groves and fields always sweet with flowers. In the 
winter there, rain falls instead of snow. 

But now he had come to visit his grand-mother, w r ho 
lived where the snow falls in winter. And Johnny was 
standing at the window when the snow came down. 




"Oh mamma!" he cried joyfully, "do come quick, and 
see all these little white birds flying down from heaven!" 

'•They are not birds, Johnny, - ' said his mamma, 
smiling. 

' 'Then, may be, the little angels are dancing, and losing 
their leathers ! Oh ! do tell me what it is : is it sugar ? 
Let me taste it, " said Johnny. 

But, when he tasted it, he gave a little jump, it was so 
cold. 

"It is snow, Johnny," said his mother. 

''And what is snow, mother?" 

' 'The snow-flakes, Johnny, are tiny drops of water that 
fall from the clouds. But the air through which they pass 
is so cold, it freezes them ; and they come down turned to 
snow. In the summer, here, it is too warm for snow ; but 
the winter is very cold." 

As she said this, she brought out an old black hat from 
the closet. 

"See, Johnny, I have caught a snow-flake on this hat. 
Look quick through this glass, and you will see how beau- 
tiful it is." 

Johnny looked through the glass. There lay the snow- 
flake like a lovely little star. 

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star," he cried in delight; 
"Oh! please show me more." 

So ins mamma caught several more. They were all 
beautiful ; yet no one was shaped like another. 

The next day Johnny had a fine play in the snow ; and 
when he came in, he said, ' 'I love snow ; and I think snow- 
balls are a great deal prettier than oranges." 




— 12 — 
13. HOW THE SPARROWS WERE FED. 

M the sparrows that lived in a great elm, standing 
in a city park, met on the morning after the first 
fall of snow to hold a council. 

"This snow," began an old sparrow with a twisted bill, 
1 'is something I don't like. Robin Redbreast told me a mont li 
ago that it would come, and said we should do better to fly 
away south with him, but I thought I would stand by the 
tree. I felt badly enough when they took us, our nestlings 
and all, out of our English oak, and brought us across the 
sea, for I am a home body. But this snow ! — I don't know 
where to set my feet or pick a crumb for breakfast." 

' 'Can't we go back to our English oak ?" asked a younger 
sparrow. "It isn't so cold there." 

"Not if they don't choose to carry us," said the old 
sparrow. 

"I have heard," said another, "that people who live in 
these beautiful houses around the park are very kind, and 
will give us plenty to eat if we will act a bit friendly. Let's 
go over to that balcony. I see a little pale-faced boy behind 
the glass looking at us now, and he looks kind and gentle." 
So there was a whirring of wings, and the whole council 
went over to the balcony, making the light snow fly as they 
alighted. How the pale face of the little boy brightened 
as they came ! He had a Bible on the arm of the great 
chair in which he was curled up like a bird in its nest. 

"I wonder if God sent them !" he said, for he had just 
been reading a chapter in which was the beautiful Lord's 
Prayer, and the words of Jesus about the lilies that he 






— 73 — 

clothes, and the birds that he feeds. As he read, "your 
Heavenly Father feedeth them," he looked over to the old 
elm, and they all came to him in a flock. 

"What does it mean, mamma?" he said, calling his 
mother to him (for he was lame), and telling her all about it. 

"God has given you plenty of crumbs, and a pair of 
hands to scatter them with," said his mother. "Perhaps 
that is the way our Heavenly Father wants to feed his 
sparrows." 

A few minutes later the happy-faced boy was scattering 
crumbs on the balcony to as happy a group of sparrows ; 
and every morning and night, all winter, they came to 
their young provider for their breakfast and supper, and 
in this way the little lame boy began to lay up ' 'treasures 
in Heaven." 

14. THE SUNBEAMS. 

arly one winter morning, some little sunbeams started 
to find their way down to this earth. They had been 
kept up in the sky a long time by dark, ugly clouds ; but 
now they came dancing and skipping along, as if to make 
up for their long imprisonment. 

These little sunbeams were very good-natured little 
things. And they were very busy too. They tried to do 
just as much good to others as they could. So when they 
got to the end of their long journey, they all ran about to 
see how they could make themselves useful. 

One little fellow perched himself on a window -sill of a 
big brick house. Looking in, he saw a little boy fast asleep 




— u — 

in the trundle-bed. "Now," said he to himself, "I wonder 
if Charlie wouldn't like to wake up this bright morning. 
He will lose all chance of taking a sleigh-ride with his 
father, if he doesn't. I really believe I will rouse him!" 
So saying, he flew on to Master Charlie's face, and danced 
over his eyes with so much glee, that he had to open them 
to see what was the matter. And oh ! how happy Charlie 
was when he saw the sun shining. He shouted and laughed, 
and before many minutes was quite dressed, and off on as 
merry a sleigh-ride as ever was had. 

Another little sunbeam went hurrying along till he saw 
a poor withered rose-bush trying to get a little warmth 
from the sun. It was standing in a basement window 
where scarcely any light could get to it. Here the sunbeam 
stopped, and it kissed the leaves, and it warmed up the 
roots of the poor plant until it really began to look quite 
green again. But it did even more good to a poor sick 
child inside, than to the flower. She loved her rose-bush 
dearly, and had felt very sad to see it fading so. But now 
she grew quite bright and happy, and was very thankful to 
the good warm sunshine. 

Some little sunbeams melted off the snow in the barn- 
yard, so the birds and chickens could find the seeds under- 
neath. Some dried the wet, muddy walks, and others went 
dancing so merrily through the air that nobody could help 
being the happier for them. All worked away at one thing 
or another, until night came, when they had to fly away 
home. 

And now, dear children, shall I tell you who can be like 
these sunbeams, if they try ? Why, it is you, little people. 



— 75 — 

By being good, and nappy, and cheerful, you can be as 
useful as those little spirits I have been telling you about. 
I know a little girl whose parents always call her Sunbeam, 
she is so good-natured and cheerful. Won't you all try to 
be like her? — and then you will have a right to just as 
pretty a name. 

15. THAT'S HOW. 




_ t was a bitter cold day. There had been a great 
^^.snow-storm, and the sky had a black and angry 
look. 

"Dear me," said Mrs. Wilson, as she looked out of the 
window. See how the snow has drifted into the yard ! Ann 
cannot get out to the wood-house for her kindlings. Those 
poor hens, too, have not been fed since yesterday morning. 
What shall we do without any body to dig a path ?" 

"I can shovel a path," said Johnny, a bright boy about 
eight years old. 

"It is too hard work for you, I fear," said Mrs. Wil- 
son," and besides we have nothing but this coal-sifter to 
shovel with." 

"No matter," said Johnny. "I can try." 

So Johnny put on his hat, tied his tippet round his neck, 
turned up his trowsers, and went to work with a will. 

He was digging away like a good fellow, when a man 
came lounging along with both his hands in his pockets. 
Instead of lending Johnny a helping hand, or saying a kind 
word to him, he called out in a sneering tone : ' 'Boy, how 
do you expect to get through that snow-drift ?" 



— 16 — 

"By keeping at it, — that's how !" answered Johnny, as 
he tossed the snow out of his little shovel. Then without 
wasting any more time in words, he turned straight to his 
work again. It was hard work. He was soon very tired, 
and his hands were cold, but he kept at it bravely until he 
had dug a good path. 

I think he got a piece of pie when he went back into 
the house, and a kiss from his kind grandmother, as she 
gave it to him, made it taste all the better. 

Now, boys and girls, we shall all have paths to dig, of 
one kind or another, as we go through life. Many snow- 
drifts will lie in our way, but if we all keep at work with a 
good heart, we shall be sure to come out right at last. 
Bear this in mind, and when you find yourselves shrinking 
from any good and useful task, and asking yourselves, 
"How shall I ever do this?" or "How am I to do that?" 
be ready with Johnny Wilson's answer, "By keeping at 
it— that's how !" 

16. THE WHITE LADY. 

. t was the very day before Christmas and it had been 
[snowing, snowing, hard all the morning ; so that 
when Harry, Dora, and Nellie came home from school, they 
found the garden all covered with the beautiful, soft snow. 
It had hardly snowed once all winter and the children 
had planned all manner of nice things which they would do, 
as soon as the first storm came. 

It seemed so beautiful that it should have come to-day. 
To-day of all clays in the year, when it would have been 



— 11 — 

hardest to have settled down to any quiet indoor play. 
The hours seemed so long which lay between this afternoon 
and to-morrow morning. Besides, if they stayed in the 
house, they were almost sure that they should guess some 
of the secrets which Mamma and Santa Claus were stowing 
away in all the drawers and closets. Then, too, they would 
most surely have been obliged to peep through the key- 
hole of the library door, so very anxious were they to see 
what there could be in there which had made Mamma lock 
it up so tight all the week. 

But now, thanks to this dear, kind snow, Harry would 
be able to do something which they had all talked and 
thought about doing for a great many weeks. 

Harry felt sure that he could make a figure out of snow 
which would look just like a little white girl, when he had 
dressed it up in some of Dora's clothes. 

So the children set to work, Harry rolling and pounding 
the snow, which Nellie and Dora brought to him in their 
little wagons. 

They worked away busily for a long while, but it was 
not such an easy thing as Harry had thought it would be, 
and perhaps the "White Lady, " as Nellie called her, would 
never have been finished, if Uncle Charley, who spent all 
his time making men and women out of white marble, had 
not looked out of the window and, seeing Harry's trouble, 
come down into the garden to help them. He only seemed 
to give a little pat or push here and there, and there she 
stood, looking just like a real little girl, with Nellie's sum- 
mer hat on her head and Dora's new lunch basket hanging 
by its blue ribbons on her round, white arm. 



- 78 — 

"Now what shall we put into our White Lady's basket!" 
said Harry, when all was finished. 

"Oh ! I'll tell you," answered Uncle Charley, after an 
instant's pause. "You see your White Lady is a sort of 
Christmas Fairy who can do all kinds of wonderful things. 
Now each of you shall tell me what you wish for most in all 
the world, I'll write the wishes down on these slips of paper, 
and then we will fold them all up and drop them into the 
White Lady's basket and to-morrow morning we shall see 
which wish she thinks best; for that will be the one which 
she will grant. " 

' 'Oh ! how splendid ! how nice ! " cried the three children, 
jumping about like so many grasshoppers. 

"Me first, please, Uncle," and Harry pushed to Un- 
cle's side, and whispered in his ear, "I wish that I had a 
great, big drum, with a flag painted on the side and two 
real, long drumsticks."— "There, that will do, Harry," and 
Uncle Charley wrote the wish down and gave- the paper 
to Harry, who folded it carefully and dropped it into the 
little basket hanging on the White Lady's arm. 

Nellie came up on tiptoe, and throwing both arms about 
Uncle's neck, said very low, indeed, "I wish I had a 
lovely, long, red sash just like the one Flora wore to my 
party. Oh! do you think the White Lady will give it 
to me?" 

"Wait and see, dear," said Uncle Charley, handing 
Nellie the paper on which he had written her wish. 

' 'Come, little one, it is your turn now. What does my 
little girl wish for most?" said Uncle Charley, as he drew 
Dora to his side and bent his ear close down to her lips. 



— 79 — 

Dora hesitated an instant and then whispered very low and 
softly, "Uncle Charley, do you know, Alice Lane thinks that 
Santa Glaus don't know about her, because she's so poor. 
Do you think that the White Lady would bring me a beau- 
tiful dolly for her?" — "We will see, dear, but put your 
wish into the basket quickly ; for it is growing dark and 
cold, and, besides, it is nearly tea-time." So the children 
hurried in, to take their tea, hang up their stockings, and 
go to bed, leaving the White Lady, standing quietly outside 
with the three wishes, tucked away in the basket on her 
arm. 

Harry, Nellie, and Dora slept so soundly that they did 
not hear Santa Claus come down the chimney, nor see the 
red and blue stockings grow fat and round. With the first 
ray of Christmas sunshine, they awoke and sprang quickly 
out of bed with little cries of delight as they spied their 
treasures. The first thing which Dora saw, lying close 
beside her stocking, was a beautiful wax dolly with golden 
curls and blue eyes, while a piece of paper was pinned 
on her lovely pink silk dress, on which was written in 
beautiful, large letters, 'Tor Alice Lane with the White 
Lady's love." 

So poor little Alice had indeed a merry Christmas, and 
it made Dora, oh ! so happy to see her friend so glad, while 
Nellie and Harry thought that their White Lady was both 
nice and kind. As soon as they were dressed, the children 
ran out into the garden to see the White Lady and thank 
her for the doll, but no White Lady was to be seen, only a 
little heap of snow with a hat and basket half buried 
beneath it. 



— 80 — 

ktlMK l7 ' THE LORD'S WALL. 

\MsJyn the 6th of January, 1813, the inhabitants of a 
J^^^lonely dwelling near a small town in Germany were 
^^ in great alarm. Russian, Swedish, and German sol- 
diers were approaching as night drew near. The weather 
was cold and blustering, and the snow-flakes began to whirl 
in the air. The good people feared they might be driven 
away from hearth and home. 

The pious, old grandmother was the only one who was 
not afraid, for she trusted in God. She read to her children 
and grandchildren from her old prayer-book, where she 
found the words, ' 'Oh Lord, build a strong wall around us, 
that we may be safe from the enemy ! Be thou our de- 
fense !" 

One of her grandchildren, however, who had listened 
with great devotion, after a pause said thoughtfully, "Now 
grandma, is it not too much to expect of God that he should 
build a wall for us ? I think we ought not to ask for such 
impossible things." 

The grandmother said, "You do not understand the 
meaning of these words. They mean that God may protect 
us from our enemies as safely as if our house were sur- 
rounded by a strong wall. But if God intended to build a 
wall for us, do you think it would be impossible for him ?" 

The night wore away, but, to their great astonishment, 
no soldier came to the house. Yet often the family heard 
the voices and noise of passing soldiers. 

When the morning came, and some of the family vent- 
ured out, lo and behold the miracle ! The wind had piled 




— 81 — 

the snow just in front of the house like a strong and high 
wall, so that the soldiers could not get near the house. 

Then the family all praised the Lord. But the old grand- 
mother said, ' 'See, my children, the Lord has actually built 
a wall for us, to keep us safe from the enemy. He is 
gracious and powerful to save us from all danger ; so let us 
always put our trust in Him." 



18. HENRY AND THE ECHO. 

op, hop, hop !" shouted little Henry as he was play- 
ing in a field near a wood. 

"Hop, hop, hop !" came an echo in reply. 

"Who is there?" asked Henry, in surprise ; for he had 
never heard an echo before. 

"Who is there ?" replied the echo. 

"Foolish fellow I" cried Henry, at the top of his voice. 

"Foolish fellow!" was the reply from the wood. 

At this Henry got very angry, and called out many ugly 
names. The voice from the wood repeated every word. 
Henry could not tell who it was speaking from the wood; 
so he ran home and told his father that a boy hid in the 
wood had called him bad names. 

' 'Ah, Henry ! " said his father, ' 'Yon have heard nothing 
but the echo of your own words. The bad names came first 
from your own lips. Had you used kind and gentle words, 
you would have had kind and gentle words in return. Re- 
member that kind words bring back kind echoes," 



— 82 — 

^ifef^ l9, MAX AND HIS KID ' 

\ JSP n one of the high hills of Tyrol, there lived a little 
ykM^hoy who had a kid, to which he gave the name of 
^ Jolly. 

The name of this little boy was Max. He was so fond 
of his kid, that he used to play with her, and sing songs to 
her. He would play a tune on the pipe, and the kid would 
hop about to the sound. 

The kid was so tame that she would let Max hug her, 
and would take milk from a cup he held in his hand. 

As soon as Max called, " Jolly, come here !" Jolly would 
run to him. And when Max jumped and hopped, she would 
jump and hop and stand on her hind legs. 

Some of the folks near by, who saw what a fine kid Jolly 
was, wanted to buy her ; but Max would not sell her— no, 
not for all the money they could give him. < 'I will not part 
with my own dear Jolly," said Max. 

But one day, when he came home, his dear Jolly was 
not to be found. Where could she be ? Max ran round to 
all the folks who lived near, and asked them if they had 
seen his Jolly ; and when they told him they had not seen 
her, he was ready to cry. 

"Don't cry, my little boy," said an old man to him, 
' 'you will find your kid by and by. I do not think the wolf 
has killed her. You love your kid so much, I think God 
will give her back to you." 

Max dried his tears, and went home ; and when it was 
night, he said his prayers, and lay down in his little bed. 
But he could not stop thinking of Jolly. 



— 83 — 

"I do hope the old wolf has not got her," said Max, "I 
should be so sorry if the wolf had got her." 

And as little Max lay awake, looking at the moonlight 
as it shone through the window, he heard a noise at the 
door. Scratch, scratch, scratch ! Rap, rap, rap ! that 
was the noise. 

Max jumped out of the bed, and ran and opened the 
door ; and who should trot in but Jolly ? 

"Oh, you dear little kid! my own little Jolly ! " cried 
Max. ' 'Here you are back again ! The old man was right. 
He said God would send you back ; and here you are !" 



20. WILLIE SMITH'S TWO GOATS. 

^WLiWie Smith had two goats. His uncle brought them 
/Jgftto him from California. They were Rocky Mountain 
goats.** They were quite strong, and had been trained to 
harness. Willie's uncle also gave him a little cart and two 
sets of harness for the goats. 

You never saw a happier boy than Willie was, when he 
first mounted his little cart for a drive down the road. 

One day Willie's father said, "I declare, I wish I had 
more men to help me to get in the hay. We shall have rain 
before night." 

So Willie said, "Father, I should like to help you. I 
will harness the two goats, and work as long as the men 
do." 

a Yery good," said the farmer, "and I will give you five 
cents a load." 




— 84 — 

"You will?" said Willie. "Then I know what I shall 
do with the money. I shall save it, to buy a new pair of 
skates for next winter." 

So Willie harnessed his two goats, and got in twelve 
loads that afternoon. 

Can you tell me how much money he earned ? 



21. DOCS IN THE BARN-YARD. 

ere is our old dog Fan, with her four pups. They 
are in the barn-yard, and the hens are in there, too. 
There is our old rooster. Little Tiger, one of the pups, 
creeps along to bark at him. 

But the rooster springs on the fence, flaps his great 
wings, and makes a noise that can be heard half a mile off. 
Poor Tiger is so scared that he runs back to his mother. 

Then Tiger grows more brave, and runs up to his brother 
Bob, and barks at him ; but Bob is not afraid. He stands 
his ground so well, that Tiger at last runs back to his 
mother. Tiger, you see, is a coward. 

Now Fan does not like to see her pups grow up to to be 
cowards. So she growls at Tiger. I think by her growl 
she means to say, ' 'Let me see you go and drive that proud 
old rooster out of the yard !" 

What makes me think so is that Tiger goes at once up 
to the rooster. But the rooster again utters that dreadful 
cry, and then Tiger runs off yelping in a great fright. 

The old dog now scolds at Tiger, and says something 
which I do not quite understand. Perhaps she says, ' 'The 



— 85 — 

pup that will drive that proud old rooster out of the yard, 
shall have a nice bone I have hid away somewhere." 

I do not know that she said this ; but little Bob runs 
boldly up to the rooster, and barks, oh, so loud ! that my 
fine gentleman is frightened, and, instead of crowing loud, 
as he did before, droops his feathers, and runs off. 

Round and round, left and right, right and left, back- 
ward and forward, runs the old coward, with Bob close upon 
his spurs. 

How the hens cackled ! and how the turkeys gobbled ! 
and how the folks in the house looked from the window and 
laughed ! 

At last the rooster escapes through a hole into the hen- 
house, and there ends the chase. 

All the little pups run, and bark for a long time at the 
hole through which the rooster has gone. But no one of 
them barks half as loud or looks half so fierce as little 
Tiger. 

He is very brave when there is no longer any danger. 
To hear him bark, you would think he knew no fear. I hope 
you will not be a boaster, like Tiger. 



■M^ 22 - THE LITTLE BIRD'S MORNING RAMBLE. 



P' w nee there was a little bird, who lived with his mate 
£*in an old apple-tree ; 
And the little bird hopped on both of his legs, 
And looked up with one of his eyes ; 
And he said, ' 'I'll go ramble about in the field, 



While the sun travels up in the skies." 

So, telling his mate to be sure and keep the eggs warm, he 

bade her good-morning. 
And rolled up his feet 'neath his feathers so neat, 
And spread out his wings very wide; 
So merrily now he soars up from the bough, 
And alights by a rivulet's side. 
Stepping so lightly with his little feet, as not to crush the 

violets, he went and dipped his bill into the water 

and drank. 
And he said, ' 'How good it does taste, I declare ! 
I'll come and drink here every day ; 
And my lady shall come, yes, my lady so fair ; 
For I gladly will show her the way." 
And as he looked into the clear water, he saw 
A little black turtle creep softly along, 
All prettily spotted with yellow ; 
He had four funny legs and a little short tail, 
A comical looking old fellow. 

And the bird hopped along a little farther, and he saw 
A frog like an arrow dart swiftly along, " 
Another went by, then another : 

And their children, the tadpoles, came wagging their tails, 
And each one looked just like his brother. 
"What queer things," said he, "paddling themselves along 

with their tails !" And while he was watching them, 

along came 
A party of minnows, some large and some small, 
And they looked very playful and shy, 
The bird said, "Good morning!" They darted away, 



- 87 — 

And never looked up in his eye. 

"Shy little fellows these," said he. "Just as if I should 
want to harm them ! I mean to go to a shallow part 
of the brook and bathe." So he hopped along till he 
found a place where the water was only about two 
inches deep, and in he plunged, 

And made such a splashing and spattering there, 

That he watered the violets well ; 

And frightened the tadpoles— and as to the frogs, 

What ailed them they never could tell. 

The sober little turtle was sure he was crazy ; so he pru- 
dently crept away and hid himself under the bank. 

Said the bird, ' 'What good fun, to bathe here in the sun, 

And to spatter the water so high ! 

My love shall come down here and wash herself too, 

Ere the sun travels down in the sky." 

Then he came out and shook the water from his wings, 
and went along a little farther. He soon came to a 
field, where there was a man plowing, 

And said, "Oh, he's plowing up worms all for me, 

I think he's a very kind man. 

So I'll pick up my dinner, then sing in his ear 

The prettiest song that I can." 

And the little bird swallowed one or two earth-worms, and 
then perching himself upon a tree near the man, sang 
in his very best manner. 

"He could not help liking that song, I am sure !" 

To himself then the little bird said, 

And he picked up a worm to bear home to his love, 

And swift o'er the tree-tops he sped, 




And soon he alighted by her side ; and dropping the food 
into her mouth, he told her he would keep the eggs 
warm, while she went to the rivulet to drink and 
bathe. 

23. THE CANARY-BIRD. 

f here was once a little canary-bird which lived in a 
!^J^*$beautiful golden cage and belonged to a little girl, 
named Minnie. 

The canary had two nice glass dishes, one for seed 
and the other for water, which Minnie filled fresh every 
morning. The floor of the cage was covered with nice 
white sand, and Minnie often gave her birdie a piece of 
sugar or a slice of apple, which he liked very much, and he 
never forgot to say "piep" when she gave it to him, which 
means "thank you." 

Now you would suppose the little birdie must have been 
very happy to live in such a fine house and to have such 
dainty food, while the sparrows outside had but poor places 
to live in, and had to search anxiously for every grain of 
seed ; but it was not so. 

Spring had come, and the warm sunshine poured in 
through the windows, the fruit-trees in the garden were all 
in blossom, the sparrows hopped about gaily, and so did 
robin-redbreast and all the other birdies. Then the dear 
canary wished that he too might fly about in the garden. 

Minnie saw that her canary looked very sad, and she 
said : "I know what is the matter, Dicky, and why you are 
so sad ; I am sure you would like to be out in the garden 



— 89 — 

like the other birdies, and I will ask Mamma to have your 
house carried outside." Dicky only said sadly, "piep, piep, 
piep," but Minnie ran to her Mamma, and she had Dicky 
brought out and his cage hung near a blooming cherry- 
tree. Oh ! how happy Dicky was now, how his little heart 
beat, and how joyously he sang ! 

So several days passed by, every sunny morning Dicky's 
cage was carried into the garden, under the cherry-tree, 
and every evening he was taken into the house again , for 
canary-birds are very delicate and cannot endure the chilly 
night air. 

Minnie was very happy now, and often stood at Dicky's 
cage, saying to him : ' 'I knew what you wanted, I knew 
what you wanted." 

But Dicky was not contented, he longed to get out of 
his cage and fly about as the other birds did. So one day, 
when the door of his cage was left open by chance, he 
darted out, just as Minnie was coming into the garden, and 
she called out to him : "Come back, Dicky, come back!" 
But he did not listen to her, and poor little Minnie burst 
into tears. 

Now let us see what became of Dicky. After he had 
flown about for a great while and had looked at all the 
flowers, he began to be tired and sat down on the roof of a 
barn ; but he had scarcely touched it when a cat jumped 
at him and almost caught him. He then flew on to a chest- 
nut-tree, but some boys spied him and threw sticks at him 
to make him come down. So poor Dicky sighed deeply, 
and thought, "I cannot stay here, I must fly away again," 
and he flew on to a church-tower, thinking that he might 



— 90 — 

rest there, for he was very tired by this time. But all at 
once the clock began to strike so loud that the whole tower 
shook, and Dicky was greatly frightened. So he flew down 
again and sat on a wall, but still he heard the awful sound 
ringing in his tiny ears. 

Scarcely had he rested a little, when the sky became 
quite dark, the wind began to blow hard and the rain came 
pouring down. Dicky did not know where to go, when 
suddenly he saw a nest on the wall, from which a sparrow 
was peeping. 

"Give me shelter," asked poor Dicky, "my feathers are 
all wet," but the sparrow said, "Get a shelter elsewhere, 
I have no room for you." 

Then Dicky flew to a swallow, and begged, ' 'Let me in, 
please, I am shivering with the cold," but the swallow said: 
"Stay where you are, there is no room for you here," and 
Dicky had to sit in the rain. 

Oh ! how he longed now for his beautiful little house 
and his kind mistress ! 

But soon the rain-storm ceased, the sun came out again 
from behind the clouds. Dicky was quite tired out, but 
once more he tried to fly and seek a shelter, and in doing 
so he came by a window, at which a little girl was sitting 
and crying ; he looked again and, sure enough, it was his 
dear little Minnie. 

Dicky flew to the window, and knocked against the 
panes with his little beak. When Minnie looked up and 
saw her little birdie, she dried her tears, opened the window 
to let him in, and Dicky was glad to be at home once more, 
and never thought of traveling again. 



— 91 — 
H^&^e 24 ' ST0RY 0F A LITTLE MOUSE 

? J3sL mouse who had four children, — two boys and two 
S^J!' girls, — lived in a garret where there was corn 
stored. 

But her children gave her great anxiety ; for you know 
mice cannot be too cautious. 

Sometimes it is the cat that watches for them, some- 
times it is the owl, and sometimes people set traps. In 
short, there is every-where danger for mice. 

But the mother lived very safely in her garret. She had 
plenty to eat, for herself and her children. But the children 
were very active, and wanted to run about every-where and 
see every thing. 

One wanted to go on the roof, where the owl might 
easily have caught it. Another wanted to go clown in the 
kitchen, from whence came those delicious smells. 

If the mother had not been very strict with her children, 
the cat or owl would- have got hold of them long ago ; but 
as it was, they were not allowed to leave the garret. 

Under the garret where the mice lived, was the home of 
a carpenter and his wife, who had three little boys, who 
often played in the yard, with a' drum, a trumpet, and 
a gun. 

Then the little mice would sit at the garret-window and 
peep out. The big drum they admired more than any thing 
else, and they would have liked very much to jump and 
play on it. 

When it grew dark and the children were in their room, 
the little mice began to have a merry time. Some whistled 



— 92 — 

with their little pointed mouths ; some jumped and danced 
so that they made a great noise ; and then the carpenter 
would say to his children, ' 'Do you hear the mice dance ? 
Now go to bed, or else they will come down." 

The mouse-children grew, and were quite big, and the 
oldest mouse-boy spoke of traveling and seeing the world; 
but his mother would not give her consent. Then he 
planned to go off secretly. 

In a dark corner of the garret, just above the room of 
the carpenter, he began to nibble and gnaw a hole in the 
floor. He was so sly about it that his mother did not 
know it. 

After a while the hole was so large that he could look 
through it. Lo ! how wonderful ! What splendor and light 
his eyes beheld ! 

Such a fairy world he had never seen. Indeed, how could 
he have done so ? Little mice do not know any thing of 
Christmas Eve, and that was going on at the carpenter's. 

The tapers of the Christmas tree lit up the little 
room. On the table a whole village was built up. Soldiers 
stood there, as if for drill. Dolls, toys, and all sorts of nice 
things were lying about. 

The little mouse did not tire of admiring. "Oh!" said 
he to himself, "if I could only see those fine things close 
by!" 

But at last the lights were put out, and the children 
went to bed. Every thing was dark. There was no rest 
for the little mouse. He thought, "I'll go down there and 
hide till day-light, and then I can look at the things before 
the children get up," 



— 93 — 

So he gnawed away till his hole was large enough to 
get through — slid down into the stove, and was just about 
to jump to the floor, when — plump ! he went into the glue- 
pot that stood behind the stove. And there he perished 
most miserably; for, alas ! there was no one to help him out. 

The next morning the carpenter wanted to repair some 
furniture, and when he came to get the glue-pot, he called 
out to his children, ' 'See here ! Look at this little mouse 
that is caught here !" 

When the mouse-mother missed her oldest boy the next 
morning, she looked about and found the hole. She was 
very sorry that he had not minded her. She stopped up 
the hole, so that none of the others might come to harm. 



— 94 — 



Faiky Tales. 



1j$g|Ja 25 - THE NORTH WIND. 

,^JJ|Lhe north wind once went out to play, but as he was 
W^«[a very rude fellow, he did all manner of mischief. 

As soon as he came into the garden, he pulled the roses 
by the hair, he broke the stem on which the beautiful white 
lily sat, he shook the ripe peaches from the trees, and threw 
the pears into the mud. 

Out in the fields he even behaved worse ; he bent the 
heads of wheat down into the dust, he tore the green 
apples from the branches, and he upset a poor old tottering 
tree, so that its roots stood up in the air. 

Then the people went to the wind-king, and complained, 
and told him how naughty the north wind had been. 

So the wind-king sent for the north-wind, and, when he 
had come, he asked him whether what the people had said 
of him was true. He could not deny it, for every body 
had seen how badly the garden and the fields looked, where 
he had played. 



— 95 — 

Then the king asked him, "Why hast thou done this ?" 
And the north wind answered, "I did not mean any harm, 
I was only playing with the rose and with the lily, with the 
peaches and with the rest of them. I did not think it would 
hurt them." 

But the king said : ' 'It is a pity, but as you are such a 
rough play-fellow I can not let you out for a long time ; you 
must stay at home with me all summer. In winter, when 
there are no flowers and fruits in the gardens and fields, 
you may go out again to play ; I see you are only fit to 
play with the ice and snow, but not with fruits and flowers." 

26, THE FAIRY IN THE MIRROR. 

r,_JBfj id 3 r ou ever see the Fairies in the looking-glass ? 
jJ^P I know of a little girl who saw them, and I will 
tell you how it happened. 

Nettie was a pretty good little girl, but she had a very 
unpleasant habit of frowning and fretting, if every thing did 
not please her, and this was so often, and she frowned so 
much, that she was beginning to have two little wrinkles 
between her eyebrows. 

Now, when she looked into the glass with a scowl on 
her face, it made the Fairies very unhappy, and they knew 
that Nettie was unhappy too, and they were sorry for her ; 
so they thought they would try and cure her of her fault. 

The Fairies are able to make themselves large or small, 
and look like any one they choose. 

One Fairy said to the others, ■ 'I think I have a good plan, 
one that will cure Nettie of her ill temper, it is this : when- 



— 96 — 

ever Nettie looks into the glass with a cross face, I shall 
show her my face, and I will look exactly as she does, only 
I shall smile instead of frowning, then she cannot help seeing 
how much more agreeable she is when she is pleasant, and 
I think in a short time she will be a sweet, amiable little 
girl." 

The very next day Nettie went to the mirror with a 
scowl on her face, and was surprised to see a little face 
appear in the glass, just like her own, but a bright smile 
was sparkling in the eyes, and a merry laugh was ready to 
break from the lips. 

The little girl looked earnestly at the strange appear- 
ance in the mirror, and in a few moments, she was laughing 
and smiling at the lovely Fairy face. 

Nettie was so pleased with her little Fairy friend that she 
often looked into the glass, and always had a pleasant little 
talk and laugh with her. 

But one day Nettie came expecting to see the usual smil- 
ing face, instead of that it was cross and frowning. Nettie 
felt very badly about it, and said, ' 'Oh ! dear Fairy, why do 
you look so cross?" "Nettie," said the Fairy, "I wanted 
to show you how you look when you frown." 

"Indeed," said Nettie. "I will always try and be kind 
and pleasant, if I look so ugly when I am cross." 

After this, Nettie's mother and father often said to each 
other, ' 'What a dear, sweet little girl our Nettie is grow- 
ing to be. Did you notice that she hardly ever is seen with 
a frown on her face, and tries very hard to be pleasant and 
kind all the time ? I am sure no one can help loving our 
amiable little Nettie," 




— 97 — 
THE FAIRIES OF THE RAINBOW AND THE RAIN. 

hese beautiful Fairies are cousins, and live in grand 

j, ^palaces up in Cloudland. 

The father of the Rainbow Fairies lives in the sun and 
these Fairies cannot show themselves to mortals every day, 
but only when their cousins, the Fairies of the Rain, give 
a party, and their father in the sun allows them to attend 
it, which he will not often do; for he generally closes his 
house and goes to sleep when the Rain Fairies come danc- 
ing down to earth. 

One day there was a great gathering of the Rain Fairies, 
for their Queen had called them together. 

They were all dressed in silver gauze, and the Queen 
wore a diamond crown, and sat on a crystal throne. 

When every one had become quiet, the Queen said to 
them, ' 'My friends, I have been looking from my windows 
down on the beautiful earth, and I think we have some 
work to do below there. 

' 'The leaves of the trees all need washing, the sweet 
flowers and the green grass are thirsty, the little brooks are 
almost dried up, and I hear the farmers say, "Our corn 
and wheat and oats will all be ruined, if the good little 
Rain Fairies do not pay us a visit soon." 

"So, Fairies, I think we had better have a party and go 
down and surprise the farmers to-morrow, and see if we 
cannot help them a little. Who wishes to go?" 

"I want to go," "so do I," shouted a whole host of the 
merry sprites, and their voices sounded like the tinkling of 
silver bells. 



— 98 — 

Then the Queen said, "Would 'you not like to invite 
your Rainbow cousins ? I think my sister, the Princess Silver- 
drop, could coax their father to let them come for a few 
moments.." 

Silver-drop went to her uncle in the sun, and asked him 
so prettily and politely to ' 'please let his little daughters 
come to their party," that he said, "Yes, they may go for 
a little while. " Then away she skipped to the Rainbow 
palace, and told her cousins that they might come to the 
party. 

The Rainbow Fairies were delighted, and began to get 
dressed immediately. 

Some wore violet colored dresses, some wore red, some 
green, some indigo, some yellow, some blue, and some 
orange, and all had long gray veils on, and very pretty 
they looked as they sat, obediently waiting, until their 
father sent them word when they might go to the party. ■ 

While Silver-drop was gone on her errand, the other 
Rain Fairies were busy filling their tiny goblets from the 
sparkling fountain that flows in their garden. 

When they were all ready, the Queen opened the Cloud- 
land gates, and down the Fairies danced, and wherever 
any one alighted, she emptied her goblet of Fairy rain. 

Soon the earth looked fresh, and gay with the glittering 
drops. 

At first the old man in the sun closed his house, and 
drew a cloudy curtain before the sun, but presently he 
peeped out, and seeing how beautiful the earth appeared, 
he took the curtain away, opened his house, and the sun- 
beams flashed like gold on the little Rain Fairies. 



— 99 — 

As soon as the Rainbow Fairies saw the sunshine, they 
knew their father intended they should go to the party. So 
they all threw off their gray veils, as quickly as possible, 
and all dressed alike danced in a ring together in the 
blue sky. 

The little children looked and clapped their hands and 
cried, "0 see the lovely Rainbow Fairies !" and the farmers 
all said, 

' 'How kind of the good Rain Fairies to bring us such a 
fine she we r !" 

28. THE UNCRATEFUL CRASSES. 




"fiV\ beautiful Fairy was the mother of the little blades 
? of grass; and they were very lucky to have a Fairy 
for their mother, for when they appeared on the 
earth, they did not look pretty at all, and scarcely dared to 
show themselves among all the beautiful flowers. 

But the kind Fairy said, ' 'Do not be afraid, my little 
blades, I love you all, my dear children, and will dress every 
one of you." Dresses for so many children ! They could not 
have been brought in a thousand trunks. But the Fairy 
sent a warm spring rain, and, when that fell on the ground, 
the little blades all at once received pretty green dresses, so 
beautiful and shining, that the people almost forgot the 
trees and flowers when looking at the grasses. 

Now, the little blades of grass were very happy, and the 
good Fairy also sent them clear, round dew-drops, which 
were their looking-glasses. But I am sorry to say that 
these looking-glasses were not good for them : they looked 



— 100 — . 

at their shining dresses again and again, spread them out 
as wide as they could, raised their little heads higher and 
higher, and did not notice at all, that by doing so they 
became less beautiful every day. 

The higher the grasses raised their heads, the less were 
they liked by the people who saw them. Their dresses 
were now faded and full of spots, and their hair had also 
turned grey within a few weeks. So the grasses were 
very sad, and said, "If the Fairy could only give us one 
dress, she had better have given us none; in one dress one 
cannot always remain pretty. Our dresses look so faded, 
and our hair has grown so grey, what good is it for us to 
live any longer ?" When the Fairy heard such complaints 
from the ungrateful blades of grass, she became angry, and 
sent men with sharp scythes to cut down the grasses. 
"For," said she, "you are naughty children, and now the 
cows and horses shall eat you." 



29. THE ASTER. 

?°53|L gentle little boy fell asleep one day in a cool arbor 
"»>§9f in his father's garden, which was full of the most 
beautiful flowers. He dreamt that three angels came to 
him, and he talked with them, and showed them the bright 
flowers in the garden. At parting, he gave each of them 
a nosegay and said to them, ' 'When you come back to- 
morrow, you may bring me a nosegay from Heaven, for I am 
sure you have more lovely flowers there than we have upon 
the earth." 




— 101 — 

"Yes, we have," said the angels, "but we cannot bring 
them down. Do you see the stars sparkle in the heavens ? 
They are the flowers of Heaven, and they are not planted in 
the ground, but in the air, and the sunshine did not make 
them grow, but they grew from the light of God's eyes. But 
Ave will bring you a tiny seed of those flowers to-morrow, 
and we will plant that into your earth and see what will 
come of it." Then the angels disappeared. 

On the next day they came again and brought a shining 
little seed with them ; this they planted in the ground, and 
watered it every morning and evening with fresh water. 

The little boy told all the children in the village that 
the angels had planted a star in his garden, and the children 
came every day to see whether it had sprouted. And sure 
enough, in the fall, a beautiful flower unfolded itself; it had 
a great many narrow leaves set all around, that made it 
look like a brightly colored star. The children were delighted 
with i't, and carried water in their hands to water it, and 
they called it by its heavenly name, "aster," which trans- 
lated into English means "star." 

This was the little boy's dream, and it was a happy 
dream, for from that time he liked asters better than ever. 



^JK 30. THE ANCEL WITH THE STRING OF PEARLS. 

n a beautiful spring day two angels were floating on 
^Ja shining pink cloud, very near the earth, which 
they enjoyed looking at in its new spring dress, after 
the winter was over. 



— 102 — 

The older of the two angels wore a splendid necklace of 
pearls, which the younger admired so much that he took 
it in his hand, in order to see it nearer. He looked at 
it admiringly, and was just going to return it to his brother, 
and thank him for permitting him to see it, when the string 
broke, and all the pearls were scattered and fell to the 
earth. 

Both looked after them sadly and frightened, and the 
little one said, with tears in his eyes, a Do not be angry 
with me, dear brother, I will do what I can to mend the 
wrong I have done ; I will go down at once and gather 
the pearls up." 

After saying these words, he hurried down to the earth, 
and arrived on a meadow, just as the sun was shining full 
upon it. On every little blade of grass sparkled a tiny dew- 
drop, and all the flowers, and trees, and shrubs in the 
woods near by were covered with dew-drops, which sparkled 
blue, and green, and red, and yellow, like so many colored 
beads. When the angel saw them, he called out, ' 'How 
happy am I, these are my brother's pearls!" And he 
gathered a great many of them in a little box and took 
them up to Heaven. But when he had come there, they 
had all turned to water, and the elder brother poured it 
down to earth again. 

Afterwards the little angel went again to seek for his 
brother's pearls, and this time he went at night, and came 
to a city. Every one was sleeping in peace, nowhere was 
there a light to be seen nor any thing that looked like pearls. 
Only in a little house a mother was watching at the bedside 
of her sick child, and a lamp was dimly burning. She was 



— 103 — 

praying and looked up to Heaven, while hot and heavy- 
tears fell from her eyes. The little angel gathered up the 
dropping tears in his box, and thought they surely must be 
his brother's lost pearls. But when he arrived in Heaven, 
his brother said to him, ' 'The tears of a pious mother are 
even more precious than my pearls, but they are not mine." 

Sadly the angel went down a third time, and searched 
in fields and woods, on mountains and near the sea, and 
asked every-where for his brother's pearls. 

Then a little man came to him, who said, ' 'See here, I 
have found many pearls and precious stones in the depths 
of the sea, and in the dark mountains, take as many as you 
want, for I would like to help you because you seem so 
anxious to mend your fault." Gratefully the angel took the 
little man's gift, and brought the gems to his brother ; but 
he said : l 'Those are not the right pearls, they are only 
ornaments for man, " and then he emptied them out and let 
them fall down to the earth. More sad than ever, the little 
angel made ready to go down again, but the older angel 
said, "I will gladly forget my pearls, and forgive you from 
my heart. Weep no more and stay with me now, that you 
may not also get lost ; for I can live very well without my 
pearls, but not without my dear brother." 



31. THE CRATEFUL ELF. 

ne evening a dwarf, who was very tired and dripping 

ith rain, went through the streets of a city in order 

to find a shelter for the might, where he might rest 




— 104 — 

from his long journey and dry his clothes. He knocked at 
every house and asked pleasantly to be let in, but no door 
was opened to him; for the people were all asleep and could 
not hear the gentle knock and voice. At last he was so 
tired that he could hardly stand, and he had now come al- 
most to the end of the city, to a little house which stood 
near the water. ' 'If these people do not open their door 
to me" he said to himself, "I must perish this night with 
cold and hunger." 

A light was burning in the little house, and by it a 
brother and a sister were sitting and reading in their 
hymn-book. The dwarf knocked gently at the door, and 
the brother opened it at once to see who it was that came at 
so late an hour. When the brother saw the poor little man 
who was hardly able to speak, he took him up in his arms 
and carried him into the room, then he gave him dry 
clothes and put him into a soft bed. The sister prepared a 
warm soup for him, and both were very glad when they soon 
after found the little man fast asleep. 

The next morning the brother and sister went early to 
the bedside of their little guest to see how he had slept 
and whether he felt any better. He was still fast asleep. 
But soon he opened his eyes and then said to them: "Your 
kindness has saved my life, and I thank you from my heart; 
in order that I may show you how grateful I am, tell me 
three wishes and I will grant them." 

"We have not much to wish for," said the sister and 
brother, "we are satisfied with the things that God in his 
goodness has provided for us, but if we desire any thing, it 
is that our little house might stand at the top of yonder hill, 



— 105 — 

so that it could not be flooded again by the river, and then 
it would be nice to have a bench near it under a linden-tree, 
from where we could see the sun rise and set. And then 
wo wish that we might both die at the same time, sitting 
under the linden-tree, so that we would not be separated on 
going to Heaven, where we hope to find our dear parents."' 
Then the dwarf said, "Your wishes shall be granted." 

The day passed, and when the silent night came, while 
the brother and sister slept sweetly in the house, the dwarf 
stood outside in the dark. If you had seen him, you w T ould 
have thought that he was only a little man with rather a 
large head and a funny cap on; but he was an elf, who lived 
in the mountain, and he now took a little silver whistle 
from his pocket and gave a long and distinct signal, which 
could be heard far away. He had scarcely ceased whistling, 
when suddenly a great many little people just like him 
stood by his side, as if they had sprung from the ground, 
and asked him what he wanted of them; for he was their 
chief, and he told them his wish. Then they began to dig, 
and shovel, and carry loads, and soon the little house and 
garden with its bench under the linden-tree stood on the 
top of the hill, as if it had always been there. When the day 
dawned, the elfs went back to their caves in the mountains, 
but the dwarf who had slept in the house of the kind brother 
and sister, went in to wake them with pleasant words, and 
then took them to the .open window. Then the children 
saw that their house was really standing on the hill, that the 
river was flowing far down in the valley, and a beautiful 
linden-tree shaded the cottage. The little man then said 
good bye to them and departed, 



— 106 - 

Many, many years later, the sister and brother sat 
again under the linden-tree ; they had grown old mean- 
while, their hair had become white as snow. Many a time 
had they seen the sun go down, and watched the lovely 
evening sky, but never before had it seemed so beautiful, 
nor the water in the river so bright and clear, never before 
had the blossoms of the linden-tree seemed so fragrant to 
them, and never had the birds sung so sweetly, as to-day. 
— As they sat thus, grateful and happy, an angel stepped to 
their side, bent over them and with a sweet kiss gently 
closed their eyes, and one of the red clouds carried them 
up to Heaven, as they had once wished. — 




— 10.7 




Fables. 



THE SUN AND THE WIND. 

Sun and the Wind had a dispute, each 
^thinking himself the stronger. Finally they agreed 
that he should be considered the stronger, who should 
succeed in forcing a traveler, whom they saw on the road, 
to drop his cloak from his shoulders. 

So the Wind began to blow and storm, and rain and 
hail aided him ; then the poor traveler trembled and was 
frightened, but he only wrapped his cloak more closely 
about him to protect himself and keep the wind from tear- 
ing it off. 

Now came the Sun's turn. With mild and gentle warmth 
he sent down his rays. Heaven and earth smiled again, 
and the air grew warmer every moment. The traveler 
could not keep the heavy cloak on his shoulders any longer, 
so he took it off and sat down to rest under a shady tree, 
while the Sun rejoiced in his victory. 




— 108 — 
33. THE LAMB. 

little lamb that was grazing on the meadow passed 
by some briers, and as it came very near them, 
they pulled out some of its wool. So the lamb 
asked, "Why do you pull me so?" "Do not be angry," 
answered the brier, ' 'I see a little bird flying high up in the 
air, that has no shelter, and it wants to build a nest, so I 
wished to give it some of your nice soft wool." Then the 
little lamb said, "Pull me as much as you please, I like to 
give my wool to the little bird, " and then went on. 

On the next day the shepherd came, took hold of the 
lamb, and cut off all its wool with a large pair of shears. 
Then the little lamb asked, < 'Shepherd, why do you pull 
me so?" "Do not be angry," answered the shepherd, "I 
want a new coat, to wear in winter, for that I need 
your wool." So the little lamb said, "I will gladly give it 
to you," and it patiently stood still while the shepherd 
sheared it. 



34. THE CROWS. 

man who was traveling in Ireland, once saw on 
the sea-shore a large flock of crows who where 
trying to break open the shells of the mussels 
that lay scattered along the coast. 

They tried a long time, but the shells were too hard for 
them to open with their bills. At last they all came to- 
gether and seemed to be talking about the matter. 





— 109 — 

Finally each crow took a shell-fish in its bill, and flew 
far up in the air, as high as a tall steeple, then dropped 
the mussel, and the fall broke the shell ; so the crows could 
easily pick out the mussel from the shell. 



35. THE CROW AND THE PITCHER. 

crow that was very thirsty flew to a pitcher, hoping 
■*>fcjr to find some water in it. Water there was, but so 
little of it, that with all her efforts, the poor crow could not 
so much as wet the tip of her bill. 

"Never despair," said the crow to herself, "where 
there's a will, there's a way !" A bright thought came into 
her little black head; she could not get down to the water, 
but she might make the water rise up to her. 

The crow picked up a pebble and dropped it into the 
pitcher; then another and another. All sank to the bottom, 
and the water rose in the jar. 

Before the crow had dropped ten pebbles, her industry 
was rewarded, and she drank at her ease of the water 
which, but for her bright thought, she would never have 
been able to reach. 



irttbefs Jiindcrqarten Occupations for tfic #ami{j|. 




They came this morn- 
ing, and at dinner-time 
papa had to look at some 
perforating. Even the 
sick boy in the corner 
had to have his hand in 
it. Jennie stopped her 
play in the yard to play 
at weaving in the house, 
and our nine-year-old 
though invited by play- 
mates to a game on the 
campus, had important 
duties in the parlor. Two 
sets of weaving, and one 
or two pricked cards 
have been submitted for 
inspection already, an 
more will be, doubtless, 
forthcoming tc-morrow. 
Santa Claus with a whole basketful of toys could scarcely have given more 
pleasure. His gifts are complete; these "gifts" are perfected by the children 
themselves. "See, mamma, / did this." "Won't papa be pleased with this?" 

There is one man in 
America who ought to 
grow rich, and we hope 
he will. Mr. E. Steiger, 
22 & 24 Frankfort St., 
New York, has publish- 
ed, at what seems to us 
a great expense and with 
conscientious study, a 
full set of Kindergarten 
Gifts. Through his 
kindness we are enabled 
to give the accompany- 
ing illustrations. The 
first picture illustrates 
the art of puncturing 
paper to represent cer- 
tain objects. Here we 
have a little girl making 
a picture of pussy. Who 
says that is not better 




#rtc(jcr§ Jtinderflarten ©ccupations for tfto JFamify. 




than pulling the original 
about the house by the 
tail ? "Which teaches the 
child the more of mercy, 
gentleness, taste, sweet- 
ness of temper, religion ? 
Our second cut illus- 
trates stick - laying. 
"Mamma, what can I 
do ?' ' is the oft repeated 
cry. "0, anything, my 
child." But the child 
has enough of Anything. 
He now wants Some- 
thing. Take Mr. Steiger's 
Eighth Gift and ask the 
boy to make outline re- 
presentations of some 
common objects about 
him. See how interested 
he is. He is occupied. 
His mind is interested. This kind of stick-laying is better than the old- 
fashioned method of laying it over the shoulders. 

But what is the other little boy doing ? He is drawing simple forms 
on a diagrammed slate. 
Notice that all are doing 
something. Activity is 
the great law of child- 
hood. "How absurd," 
says Mr. Antiquus. 
"Everybody knows that -^^ 
a child's business is to "^pf^ 
learn how to spell. He 
should be given a lesson 
in "Webster's Blue Speller 
and be made to study it. 
Words are made to be 
spelled, and children are 
made to spell them. "What 
can the world be coming 
to when Christian people 
pay teachers to teach 
mere children to draw? 
This boy seems to like 
it, too; he is amused. 




&vfxbe\!s ^indcraartcn Occupations f or tftc Ramify. 

Now give him ten words to learn to spell, would he be amused? No, indeed. 
Therefore Spelling, not Drawing, is best for children". Mr. Antiquus lives 
in Out-of-the-way county, where they have no railroads nor telegraphs, 
nor anything else except chills and fever and Webster's Speller. 

But the best thing of all is our little weaver, weaving a mat to show 
papa. The colors are white and red, just those dear papa likes. She is 
as absorbed as if she were playing with her dolls. 

But do these games teach children anything? That depends on what 
you mean by teaching. If you mean, Do they teach children to spell, and 
to hate teachers and schools ? No. If you mean. Do they cultivate the taste, 
fancy, invention, imagination, the eye, the judgment, the hand, the heart, 
and ultimately the conscience and soul? Yes. This is the best kind of 
teaching. It may not be practical; but it is better. It is culture; it is 
growth. We must defer till a later day a history of the Kindergarten, its 
author, its rise, its growth, its prospects. We content ourselves for the 
present with these brief outlines of what it is and what it aims to do ... . 

(The Carolina Teacher, Columbia.) 

We have tried it, and we know that the ' 'Kindergarten Gifts for the 
Family" are a nice thing to have in the house. Indeed, we do not know of 
anything that affords so much and so profitable entertainment to the little 
folks as these. The children want "something to do," and will have it. 
If they are not otherwise occupied, they will, almost of necessity, get intc 
mischief. The secret of "managing" them is occupation. Give them some- 
thing to do which will require their attention, and even tax their ingenuity. 
Besides entertaining them, this will also discipline them, and a double 
service is thus rendered them. When will parents learn that their little 
ones are made actually miserable by the everlasting "you mustn't do this," 
and "don't do that," and provide for them something that they may do? 

If tired mothers who are almost distracted daily by the appeals of their 
children for a variety of amusement, and who ' 'don't know what to do" to 
satisfy them, would look into the Kindergarten system a little, and get an 
idea of what it aims and claims to be, they would greatly help themselves, 
and benefit their little ones. "Come, let us live for our children !" said 
Frederick Froebel, the founder of that system. "Live for my children!" 
says the mother, "and don't I live for them, and don't I almost daily die for 
them ?" Yes, dear devoted soul, you do ; but you haven't learned the secret 
how to live most and best for them, and so you waste your strength and 
spend yourself in vain. You "have tried everything," perhaps, excepting 
the best thing. Now try that. Verily it is the Kindergarten. And what is 
that ? do you ask. Well, we haven't time nor space to tell you here, but we 
will tell you how you can find out all about it ; what it is, what it costs, etc., 
etc. Send a letter to Mr. E. Steiger, 22 & 24 Frankfort Street, New York, 
and ask him to send you some of his tracts and pamphlets. He will send 
them to you free, and they will tell you something worth knowing. Until 
within a few weeks we knew next of nothing about the Kindergarten, but 



ifrteM'g Htndgcflarten ®ccnpattons for tfie #amify. 

finding it so helpful to our little folks, and to ourselves also, as a relief, we 
are prompted to thus urgently recommend others to get acquainted with it. 

(The Watchman, Boston.) 

.... We believe that in its proper place the Kindergarten system is destined 
to work a grand result in the early education of children, and Mr. Steiger's 
toys seem admirably adapted to facilitate the imparting of knowledge to the 
young by means of that object-teaching whose usefulness and efficiency were 
first demonstrated by the gifted Pestalozzi. (Christian at Work, New York.) 

.... These Occupations are particularly adapted to family use, and are 
invaluable in directing the early training of the young mind. According to 
the system of Froebel, the mother is the earliest and most natural teacher of 
the child; it is she who gives its mind its life-long direction, either toward a 
high culture or a grade of medium attainment. The price of these Occu- 
pations is moderate, but, whatever their cost, they will be found to afford a 
pleasure and instruction to the child which money cannot buy. 

(Christian Statesman, Milwaukee.) 

... .In regard to this special collection of "Occupations", we hardly see 
how anything could be more attractive, though the price is surprisingly low. 
Regarded only as toys, they can hardly fail to render most effective assistance 
in engaging the attention of the little ones, and keeping them busy, contented, 
and quiet. But they add to that the far higher service of inculcating 
manual skill, artistic taste, and the love of study and application, without tears 
for the pupil or wearisomeness to the instructor .... 

(The Cultivator and Country Gentleman, Albany.) 

. . . We are sure we are doing teachers and parents a special favor by 
calling their attention to this new, novel, and effective way of teaching and 
training the children. Surely we are coming speedily to some better methods 
of educating the children, and it is worth while to t;ive Mr. Steiger's series 

Of Kindergarten Occupations a trial. (American Journal of Education, St. Louis.) 

.... We know of nothing ever gotten up so simple, and yet so useful, 
to occupy the attention of little children and keep them amused and out of 

mischief, as these beautiful boxes [The Gospel Banner, Augusta.) 

.... Our children are delighted with these gifts and find in them an in- 
finite source of amusement, to say nothing of the valuable instruction which 
they are receiving, with scarcely any effort on their part. We advise heads 
of families who are troubled to devise amusements for their children, to send 
for samples of these Occupations and give them a trial. The happiest results 

are Sure to follow. (Maine Farmer, Augusta,) 

. . . .We heartily agree with Mr. Steiger in pronouncing these " Occupa- 
tions" a legitimative substitute for toys, and, with him believe, that just in 
proportion as they are adopted, the rising generation will be the gainers. 

( The Christian Recorder, Philadelphia.) 

A very large number of influential newspapers and magazines, of 
all classes, have expressed themselves similarly, while parents, 
and all purchasers are delighted with the "Kindergarten Occu- 
pations for the Family". 



£ia v xl'a .ftindcraaricn ©ccuputions foe tlic #amify. 



The price of each number of Frcebel's Kindergarten Occu- 
pations for the Family, put up in a strong paper box, with attractive 
chromo-lithographed cover, is 75 Cents.— They will be forwarded to any part 
of the United States, by mail, prepaid, upon receipt of 90 Cents for each box. 



Stick-laying. 

500 assorted Sticks, 1, 2, 
3, 4, and 5 inches long, re- 
spectively, 265 Designs on 
12 plates, and Instructions. 

2. 

Net-work Drawing. 

1 Slate, 65 by 8 i inches, 
grooved in squares (\ inch 
wide) on one side, with 
narrow frame, rounded 
corners; 3 slate pencils, 94 
Designs on 12 plates, and 
Instructions. 

3. 

Perforating 
(Pricking). 

2 Perforating - Needles, 
1 Perforating-Cushion, 1 
Package of 10 leaves of 
paper, ruled in squares on 
one side, 1 Package of 10 
leaves of heavy white pa- 
per, 93 Designs on 12 
plates, and Instructions. 

4. 

Weaving 
(Braiding). 

1 Steel Weaving-Needle, 
20 Mats of assorted colors 
and widths, with corre- 
sponding strips, 65Designs 
on 12 plates, and Instruc- 
tions. 

5. 

Em b roidering. 

Worsted, 12 different 
colors, and 3 Worsted- 
Needles, 1 Perforating- 
Needle, 10 pieces of Bristol 
Board, ruled on one side, 
1 piece of Blotting Paper, 
10 leaves of white paper, 
136 Designs on 12 plates, 
and Instructions, 




"-'^ 3k J' 



JtqM's itindcgfladcn Occupations for tne .family. 



Cork (or Peas) 
Work. 

60 Cork Cubes, 
pieces of Wire, 1, 2 
and 4 inches long, re- 
spectively, 1 Piercing- 
Pin, 108 Designs on 12 
plates, and Instructions. 



Plaiting (Inter- 
lacing Slats). 

30 Wooden Slats, 9 
inches long, i inch gggggSfllli 
wide, 30 Slats, 6 inches §g§|p§| 
long, i inch wide, 93 De- ^2 
signs on 12 plates, and 
Instructions. 
8. 
Hi tig -laying. 

10 Kings and 20 Half 
Rings each, of 2 inches, 
1 1 inch, and | inch di- 
ameter (altogether 30 
Whole Rings and 
Half Rings), 107 De- 
signs on 12 plates, and 
Instructions. 




Intertwining 
Paper. 

100 Strips of Paper, 
white and colored, 55 
Designs on 12 
and Instructions 



Cutting Paper. 

1 Pair of Scissors, 
with rounded blades, 
100 leaves of Paper, 
white and colored, 10 
haves of stout Ultrama- 
rine Paper, 96 Designs 
ou 12 plates, and In- 
structions. 

Kindergarten Literature (in English, German, and French), 
and Kindergarten Gifts and Occupation Material on hand. 
Catalogues and Tracts sent free on application. 

!E. Steiger, 2S & 24 Frankfort St., ISew York. 



kindergarten ^Publications. 



J, F. B»i ■srhitzktf. Kimbrgarten-Lieder, I 
Willi German and English Words. Contain- 
ing Vie 32 Songs in Range's Guide. Arranged 
with an Accompaniment of ;. Second Voice 
and Pianoforte Guidance ad. lib.). $3.50 

.Tinnrs Currii . T ■<■ I'riiicijiirs and Practice 
of Early and Infant School Education, with 
an Appendix of Infant School Hymns, and 
Songs with appropriate melodies. Cloth, (2.00 

A'olf Dmiai. The Kindergarli n. A Manual 
for Vie Introduction of Frmbel's System of \ 
Primary Education into Pub'ic Schools, and 
for lite use of Mothers and Private Teachers. 
With 16 lithographed plates. Cloth, $1.00. 
(Introduction. To Teachers. Kindergarten 
Games, with 20 Songs, the text in English 
and German. Gymnastic Exercises, with 4 
Songs, the text in English and German. 
Mental Exercises. Child-like Songs, 23, the 
text ■ in English and German. Child-like 
Poetry without song. 4 Pieces in English. 
19 in English and German on opposite pages, 
2 in German. Child-like Tales, 12 in English 
and German on opposite pages The play of 
Drawing according to Frcebel's System). 

Frcebel's Kindergarten Occupations for the 
Family. Each in an elegant and strong 
Paper Box, containing Material, Designs 
and Instructions. @ $0.75 

1. Stick-Laying. — 2. Net-work Drawing. 
— 3. Perforating Pricking . — 4. Weaving 
(Braiding). — 5. Embroidering. — 6. Cork or 
Peas Work.—l. Patting (Interlacing Slats). 
— 8. Ring-laying. — 9. Intertwining Paper. — 
10. Culling Paper. 

Karl Frcebel. Elements of Designing on the 
Developing System, for Elementary School 
Classes and for Families 4 Parts, each 
containing 24 pages ruled in squares, 
with designs and space for copying. 
Each part, in paper, §0.35 

Parts 1, 2, 3. Straight Lines and their 
Combinations. Part 4. Circles and Curved 
Tines, and their Combinations. Each pa~e 
of the given Examples is followed by a blank 
page for the Compositions, Combinations or 
Inventions of the pupil. 

Gohlammer-Ileffelt. Die Emordnung des 
Kindergartens in das Schulwesen der Ge- 
ineinde. Nach H. Goldamjiek mit Kuck- 
sicht auf amerikanische Yerbaltnisse dar- 
gestellt von Hermann Peffelt. Printed 
in German type.) Paper, $0.15 

IK N. Hail man. Kindergarten Culture in 
the Family and Kindergarten: A complete 
Sketch of Frcebel's System of Early Educa- 
tion, adapted to American Institutions. For 
the use of Mothers and Teachers. Illus- 
trated. Cloth, $0.75 

-1. B. Hansclimann. Das System des Kin- 
dergartens nach Frobel. Fur Mutter nnd 
Kindergartnerinnen. (Printed in German 
type.) Illustrated. Paper, $0.15 



Heinrich Hoffmann. Kindergarten Toys, 
and how to use them. A practical Explana- 
tion of the first six Gifts of Frmbel's Kinder- 
garten. Illustrated. Paper, $0.20 

Der Kindergarten in Amerika. Entstehung, 
Wesen, Bedeutung und Erziehungsmittel des 

Fraibel' schen Sysi s, wnd seine Anwendung 

aufhiesigt Vi rhSttnissi ■ Fur Eltern. Lehrer 
und Kinderfreunde kurz dargestellt. 

Paper, $0.15 

Kindergarten Tract;. (Steiger's) 

No. 1. What is the purpose of Kindergarten 
Education ? - 5u copies lor $0.10 

2. Was 1st der Zweck der Kindergarten- 
Erziehung? (Printed in German 
type.) — 50 copies for $0 05 

3. What is a Kindergarten ? or Fraibel' s 
System of Education briefly explained. 

50 copies for $0.10 

4. TFos ist ein Kindergarten? Kurze 
Darstellung des Fraibel' schen Sys- 
tems. (Printed in German type.) — 

50 copies for $0.10 

5. Frcebel and the Kindergarten System. 
(Extract from a Lecture by Prof. Jns. 
Payne.) — 50 copies for $0.20 

G. What I think of Kindergartens. 
(From the Herald of Health.) — 
50 copies for $0.10 

7. Kindergarten. (From the N. Y. Weekly 

Tribune.) — 50 copies for $0.10 

8. A Day in the Kindergarten of Frdu- 
lein Held at Nashua, iV. IT. — 

50 copies for $0.10 

9. The Kindergarten. (An Address by 
Miss S. E. Blow.)— 50 copies for $0.20 

10. The Medical Profession recommend 
the Kindergarten. — 50 copies for $0.05 

11. The Chris! mas Kindergarten. (A Let- 
ter by the Rev. J. S. Travelli.) — 

50 copies for $0.10 

12. The Rose Window.— bO copies for $0.10 

13. A few Words to Mothers on Frcebel's 
First Gift for Babies. — 

50 copies for $0.20 

14. Friedrlch Fraibel' s Developing System 
of Education. (A Lecture by Karl 
Frcebel.) — 50 copies for $0.20 

15. Fraibel' s Kindergarten Education es- 
pecially necessary in Orphan Asylums 
and similar Institutions where there 
are no natural Mothers. (Account of a 
visit to the New York Foundling Asy- 
lum by Elizabeth P. Peabody.) — 

50 copies for $0.10 
One copy of each of the above Tracts will 
be sent gratis on application; additional 
supply for distribution furnished in quantities 
of 50 or more copies, at the low prices stated. 
Packets of complete Sets of the 15 Tracts 
will be mailed upon receipt of 5 Cents per 
packet. 



J3. Steiger, 22 &c 2-4 Frankfort St., WewYork. 



j^inderflarten ffiuBfications. 



Aug. Kcehler. Kindergarten Education. — 
Part First. The Kindergarten as a Sepa- 
rate and Independent Educational luxlitu/iim. 
Part Second. The Child and its Education. 
— The Means of Education and their Applica- 
tion. In press. 

Aug. Kcehler. Die neue Erziehung. Grund- 
zuge der padagogischen Ideen Frobel's und 
deren Anwendung in Familie, Kindergarten 
und Schule. Paper, gilt edges, $0.15 

Marie Kraus-Balte and John Kraus. 
Kindergarten Guide. In 8 Numbers : 1. The 
First and Second Gifts. — 2. The Third, 
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Gifts. — 3. The 
Tablets. — i. Stick-laying, Ring laying, Slat- 
Interlacing, Connected S,at, Thread Game.— 
5. Drawing, Perforating, Sewing.— G. Paper- 
folding. Paper- cutting and mounting, Weav- 
ing, Paper- intertwining. — 7 . Pi as-work, Mod- 
eling. — 8. Stories, Music, Games, Conversa- 
tional Lessons, Discipline, Care of Plants and 
Animals, etc. In press. 

Alma L. Kriege. Rhymes and Tales for 
the Kindergarten and Nursery. Collected 
and revised. With introductory remarks 
on the value aud mode of telling stories 
to children. Paper, $0.50 ; 

cloth, gilt edges, $1.00 

Matilda BT. Kriege. The Child, its Nature 
and Relations. An Elucidation of Frcebel's 
Principles of Education. A free rendering 
of the German of the Baroness Makenholtz- 
Buelow. On tinted paper. 

Cloth, gilt top, $1.00 
(The New Education. — The Child's Being. 
— Its Relation to Nature, Man, and God. — 
The Child's Manifestations. — The Child's 
Education. — Frcebel's " Mother's Cosseting 
Songs." — Fundamental Forms. — Reading.; 

Matilda H. Kriege. Friedrich Frcebel. A 
biographical Sketch. With portrait. 

Paper, $0.25; cloth, 0.50 

Mrs. H. Matin and Miss Elizabeth P. 
Peabody. Moral Culture of Infancy and 
Kindergarten Guide. With Music for the 
Plays. Cloth, $1.25 

Henrietta Noa. Plays for the Kindergarten. 

Music by Ch. J. Richter. (The Text of the 

19 plays is in both English and German.) 

Stiff cover, $0.30 

JosejiJi, Payne. Frcebel and the Kindergar- 
ten System of Elementary Education. 

Paper, $0.15 

Joseph Payne. The Science, and Art of 
Education A Lecture), and Principles of the 
Science of Education, ax exhibited in the Phe- 
nomena attendant on the unfolding of a Young 
Child's Powers under V e Influence of Na- 
tural Circumstances. Taper, $0.15; cloth, 
$0.40 

Elizabeth P. Peabody. Lectures on the 
Nursery and Kindergaiten. 

No. 1. Education of the Kindergartner . 

Paper, $0.25. 

No. 2. The Nursery. Paper, $0.25. 

Plays and Songs for Kindergarten and Family. 

Collected and revised by a Kindergartner. 

Paper, $0.75 



Johannes and Bertha Ronge. A practical 
Guide to the English Kindergarten, for the 
use of Mothers, Governesses, and Infant- 
Teachers, being an exposition of Frcebel's 
System of Infant - Training, accompanied 
with a great variety of Instructive and Amus- 
ing Games, and Industrial and Gymnastic 
Exercises. With numerous Songs set to 
Music and arranged for the Exercises. 
With 71 lithographic plates. Cloth, $2.10 

Steiger's Designs for Stick-laying. 12 plates in 
Wrapper, $0.30 

Net-work Drawing, 12 plates in Wrapper, 

$0.30 

Perforating (Pricking' , 12 plates inWrap- 

per. t0.30 

Weaving (Braiding), 12 plates in Wrap- 

per, $0.30 
Embroidering, 12 plates in Wrapper. $0.30 

Cork or Peas Work, 12 plates in Wrap- 

per, $0.30 

Plaiting (Interlacing Slats', 12 plates in 

Wrapper, $0.30 

Ring-laying, 12 plates in Wrapper, $0.30 

Intertwining Paper, 12 plates in Wrap- 

per, $0.30 

Cutting Paper, 12 plates inWrapper, $0.30 

Ed. Wiebe. The Paradise of Childhood. A 
Manual for Self-Instruction in Friedrich 
Frcebel's Educational Principles, and a Prac- 
tical Guide to Kindergartner s. In 4 parts. 
Paper, $3.00 ; cloth, $3.50 



A. Douai's Series of 
RATIONAL READERS, 

combining the Principles of Pestalozzi's 
and Frcebel's Systems of Education. — With 
a systematic classification of English words, 
by which their Pronunciation, Orthography, 
and Etymology may be readily taught with- 
out the use of any new signs. 

I. The Rational Phonetic Primer. An In- 
troduction to the Series of Rational 
Readers. Boards, $0.20 

II. The Rational First Reader. For Phonetic 
and Elocutional Instruction. Boards, 

$0.30 
in. The Rational Second Reader. For Pho- 
netic, Elocutional, Etymological, and 
Grammatical Instruction. Boards, 
$0.50 
IV. The Rational Third Reader. For In- 
struction in the Laws of Pronun- 
ciation, Grammar, and Elocution. 
Boards, $0.80 
V. A Reform of the Common English Branches 
of Instruction. Manual Introductory 
to, and explanatory of, the Series of 
Rational Readers. Boards, $0.30 

A very complete Stock of other Kinder- 
garten Literature (in German and 
French) and of Kindergarten Gifts and 
OccupatUm Material on hand. Cata- 
logues forwarded free on application. 



E, Steiger, J23 &c 24 Frankfort St., Wew York, 



*39 



■Mm-- \** :Mfo\ \<** «v\/ 



V & % \ 










'Vi^sr 






a5^ 







«£», * • ■ 






















•- ^ 










0* -* 



ff ..*-./% 



* ^, 










\ W •*«'- W 










' «,. .& 



' . ... .. 









; 8 w* ••JBR' w •: 






iV*. 















0^ 
^0^ 









.... V-^^ ... v^- .^ ... v*^ 







8 "^h j$ t, 



V v % *J 





















**<* * 



*' J 



<V> <£" » 



: ^^ 



I 0* * ' 







& %. 




t o 



;•• sy 










'. -^ .VSM # . '+»* 



& 




°%* 



! »°^ 















"*V 




6 /\ S .$»F ^\ - 

•♦•<>.. *-- 



>0« 







v" .*L^'* 















%!.»' 



* 4? °k 



l<* .• 




? r ,L^S 




* +. 













c v ♦• 



£°* 







■ V" 






fifr 




V\ERT 
BOOKBINDING II 

GranM'lle.Pa ■ 






^., 






^ ■•* 







^..iltt; 







& 






